stony

stony — adjective

1. describes land, soil, or a path that has many stones scattered through it or on

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

describes land, soil, or a path that has many stones scattered through it or on its surface, making it rough and hard to walk or dig on

Example

The hiking trail through the mountains was so stony that Romi had to watch every step in her thin shoes.

collocation: stony trail / stony path

The stony soil in Beatriz's garden was so hard that she could barely dig with her shovel.

collocation: stony soil

Common collocations
  • stony ground
  • stony path
  • stony soil
  • stony beach
  • stony field
  • stony riverbed
  • stony trail
Synonyms
  • rocky

    more general; can describe terrain with large boulders, not just scattered small stones

  • pebbly

    specifically describes surfaces covered in small, smooth stones (pebbles), often on beaches

  • gravelly

    describes a surface covered in crushed or broken stones (gravel), common on driveways and paths

Antonyms
  • smooth

    a surface without roughness or loose stones

  • sandy

    covered in sand rather than stones

Grammar Patterns

stony + noun (ground/path/soil/beach)

be + stony

Usage Note

Describes physical surfaces only — ground, paths, soil, beaches, riverbeds. Not used for individual loose stones (a single stone is just a stone, not 'stony').

Common Mistakes

The path was stony with many small rocks.
The path was stony.
'stony' already means full of stones; adding 'with many small rocks' is redundant.
He threw a stony at the window.
He threw a stone at the window.
'stony' is an adjective, not a noun. The noun form is 'stone'.

2. describes a person's face, expression, or manner that is cold, hard, and shows n

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a person's face, expression, or manner that is cold, hard, and shows no warmth, sympathy, or emotion — like a person has turned their feelings to stone

Example

When Niran told his mother he had lost his job, her face remained stony and she said nothing.

remain + stony (predicative)

The company director listened to the complaints with a stony expression that gave nothing away.

attributive: stony expression

Common collocations
  • stony face
  • stony expression
  • stony silence
  • stony stare
  • stony look
  • stony gaze
  • stony glare
Synonyms
  • cold

    broader meaning; can describe personality and behaviour in general, not just momentary expressions

  • expressionless

    focuses on the face showing no emotion at all, without the extra layer of coldness or hardness

  • stern

    specifically suggests disapproval or seriousness, rather than a complete absence of feeling

Antonyms
  • warm

    friendly and showing positive feelings

  • expressive

    clearly showing one's emotions through facial expressions

  • kind

    caring and sympathetic towards others

Grammar Patterns

stony + noun (face/expression/silence/stare/look)

be + stony

remain + stony

Usage Note

Commonly pairs with nouns related to the face and communication: face, expression, look, stare, gaze, silence. Often appears in descriptions of anger, disapproval, or emotional shutdown rather than sadness.

Common Mistakes

She gave him a stone face when he apologised.
She gave him a stony face / a stony expression when he apologised.
The adjective form is 'stony,' not 'stone,' when describing a facial expression.
Idioms

fall on stony ground

idiom

When an idea or effort falls on stony ground, it is not accepted or does not achieve the desired result.

Maya's suggestion for a new park fell on stony ground with the council.

Did your proposal fall on stony ground at the meeting yesterday?

stony broke

idiom

If someone is stony broke, they have no money at all.

After paying the rent, Diego was stony broke for the rest of the month.

Sara admitted she was stony broke and couldn't afford a new phone.

Word family

  • stone
    nounA2
  • stonily
    adverbC1
  • stoniness
    nounC2
  • stony-faced
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/2

These words all describe a lack of warmth in a person's manner, but they differ in nuance. 'Stony' (this sense) is the most extreme — it suggests a deliberate, hard coldness as if the person has shut down all emotion, often in reaction to something disappointing or shocking. 'Cold' is broader; it can describe a person's usual personality or a temporary reaction, without necessarily involving the face. 'Expressionless' focuses purely on the face showing no emotion at all, without the extra sense of hardness or hostility. 'Stern' implies disapproval or seriousness — a teacher giving a stern look is showing a specific reaction, not an emotional shutdown. 'Impassive' suggests calm self-control, as in someone who does not show fear or excitement in a crisis. For example: 'The judge's face was stony as she read the verdict' (hard, unforgiving) vs. 'The pilot remained impassive during the emergency' (calmly controlled, not cold).

cold ↗expressionless ↗stern ↗impassive

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • completely stony
  • absolutely stony

Phrases

  • stony ground
  • stony silence
  • stony expression
  • stony-faced

Etymology

Old EnglishGermanicEnglish

Stony comes from Old English 'stāniġ', meaning 'made of stone' or 'full of stones', formed from 'stān' (stone) plus the suffix '-iġ' (which became '-y' in Modern English). Similar words exist in other Germanic languages — Old High German 'steinag' and modern German 'steinig'. By the 1300s, the word had developed a figurative meaning: describing a person's heart or expression as being as hard and unfeeling as stone.