sand

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a loose granular material that results from the disintegration of rocks, consists of particles smaller than gravel but coarser than silt, and is used in mortar, glass, abrasives, and foundry molds
b
: soil containing 85 percent or more of sand and a maximum of 10 percent of clay
broadly : sandy soil
2
a
: a tract of sand : beach
b
: a sandbank or sandbar
3
: the sand in an hourglass
also : the moments of a lifetime
usually used in plural
the sands of this government run out very rapidly H. J. Laski
4
: an oil-producing formation of sandstone or unconsolidated sand
5
: firm resolution
6
: a yellowish-gray color

sand

2 of 2

verb

sanded; sanding; sands

transitive verb

1
: to sprinkle or dust with or as if with sand
2
: to cover or fill with sand
3
: to smooth or dress by grinding or rubbing with an abrasive (such as sandpaper)

Examples of sand in a Sentence

Noun The beaches are covered with pinkish sand. I have sand in my shoe. The children are playing in the sand. She walked across the hot sand. Verb You should sand the shelf before painting it. Be sure to sand before you paint the shelf. The streets are slippery because they haven't been sanded yet.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
But almost half of the sand washed away after high tides and wind struck the area a mere few days later, The New York Times reported on Friday. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2024 Look closer, though, and the peaked thrust of that stage begins to suggest the prow of a ship, or perhaps the gable of a house — and is that a ribbon of sand that outlines it against the dark sea of the theater’s floor? Trey Graham, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 This slice of paradise is renowned for its white quartz sand, which is often called the softest sand in the world. Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2024 The homeowners’ next plan is to establish snow fencing and plant dune grass, which, when planted beneath sand dunes, prevents sand from blowing away or washing out with currents. Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2024 Drawing legal lines in the sand (and snow) Agency staff informed at least some of the farmers who spread illegally that their complaints came from eyes in the sky. Bennet Goldstein, Journal Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2024 The scene took two months to film, with a second unit needed to execute with gyrating platforms, grapple hooks and blowing desert sand (the whole scene was shot in the desert with sunlight; nothing was made on stage). Diego Ramos Bechara, Variety, 2 Mar. 2024 In some areas, people have been hesitant to conduct prescribed fires, and that has led to an overgrowth of woody plants, such as sumac and sand plum. Karen Hickman, The Conversation, 1 Mar. 2024 There was one location that was a six hour drive from Aqaba, just for the moment when Paul is going to ride his first sand worm. Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Mar. 2024
Verb
In order to reach the widest possible Netflix audience, that cultural context has been completely universalized and most of the biggest ideas, which remain too frequently as vestigial references, have been sanded down to purposeless traces of coolness instead of integral elements. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024 The construction was almost impossible to discern; the separation between precious and the mundane sanded away. Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 According to the team, the point of using the latter barrels was not as a cask finish—on the contrary, these barrels were sanded, toasted, and charred to really remove any trace of the wine. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 29 Jan. 2024 The film sands off the original movie’s rough edges, leaving something akin to chicken noodle soup for the hopelessly romantic soul. Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 6 Jan. 2024 One of the most common mistakes DIYers make is not sanding enough. Marni Jameson, The Mercury News, 25 Jan. 2024 Prep the dresser by sanding it with 220-grit sandpaper for optimal adhesion. Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 2 Jan. 2024 Rather than sanding the topping mix, avoid dust by rubbing the wall vigorously with a barely damp rag. Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2024 Someone could use the AutoCAD design software to create a virtual vision for their set, for example, but would have to sand, paint and create elsewhere. Thomas Goodwin Smith, Baltimore Sun, 5 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sand.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German sant sand, Latin sabulum, Greek psammos

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sand was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near sand

Cite this Entry

“Sand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sand. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sand

1 of 2 noun
1
: loose material in grains produced by the natural breaking up of rocks
2
: a soil made up mostly of sand

sand

2 of 2 verb
1
: to sprinkle with sand
2
: to smooth by rubbing with sandpaper

Medical Definition

sand

noun
: gritty particles in various body tissues or fluids see brain sand

Biographical Definition

Sand

biographical name

ˈsand How to pronounce Sand (audio)
ˈsäⁿ(n)d,
ˈsäⁿ
George 1804–1876 pseudonym of Amandine-Aurore-Lucie (or -Lucile) Dudevant dᵫd-ˈväⁿ How to pronounce Sand (audio)
dᵫ-də-
née Dupin French writer

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