stony

UK: /ˈstəʊni/ US: /ˈstoʊni/ ,(stō′nē)

Inflections of 'stony' (adj):

stonier

adj comparative

stoniest

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ston•y or ston•ey /ˈstoʊni/   adj., -i•er, -i•est. 

1. full of stones or rock.
2. resembling or suggesting stone, esp. in its hardness.
3. unfeeling; merciless:
   a stony stare.

ston•i•ly /ˈstoʊnəli/  adv.: 

stared stonily at his rival.

ston•i•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ston•y  (stō′nē), adj., ston•i•er, ston•i•est. 

1. full of or abounding in stones or rock:
   a stony beach.
2. pertaining to or characteristic of stone.
3. resembling or suggesting stone, esp. in its hardness.
4. unfeeling;
   merciless;
   obdurate:
   a stony heart.
5. motionless or rigid;
   without expression, as the eyes or a look:
   a hard, stony stare.
6. petrifying;
   stupefying:
   stony fear.
7. having a stone or stones, as fruit.
8. Slang Terms stone-broke.

Also, stoney. 

• bef. 1000; Middle English; Old English stānig. See stone, -y¹

ston′i•ly, adv. 
ston′i•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. rocky, pebbly.
• 4. adamant, hard, flinty, pitiless, inflexible, unbending.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

stony, stoney / ˈstəʊnɪ/ adjective (stonier, stoniest)

1. of or resembling stone
2. abounding in stone or stones
3. unfeeling, heartless, or obdurate
4. short for stony-broke

ˈstonily adverb

ˈstoniness noun