quarry 1 of 2

noun

ˈkwȯr-ē How to pronounce quarry (audio)
Definition of quarrynext
as in prey
an animal that is hunted or killed a hunter relentlessly tracking his quarry

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

quarry

2 of 2

verb

as in to mine

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of quarry
Noun
In 2023, a worker at a limestone quarry in southeast England came across some unusual bumps while stripping back clay with his vehicle to expose the quarry floor. — Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025 For a staggering scene in which Tóth and his patron, Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce), visit a marble quarry in Carrara, Italy, Blumberg went to a valley to record ambient sound and later applied it to a saxophone part played by soloist Evan Parker. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2025
Verb
The crates contained fossils that had been found at a limestone quarry some two hundred miles to the southwest, in the town of Taung. — Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025 The gypsum—a type of mineral—used for the burial would have come at a high cost, and the stone coffin was not only beautifully carved, but also made from stone quarried more than 30 miles away, adding to the costs of transportation. — Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for quarry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quarry
  1. prey
  2. mine
  3. delve
  4. scoop
Noun
  • Lures are used to catch fish in lakes, rivers and streams by mimicking natural prey.
    — Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
  • The population would have inhabited a woodland environment with wet grasslands, which would have been rich in prey, the study said.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of prey
Verb
  • Other writers and artists have also begun to mine this era for clues to China’s current authoritarian malaise.
    — Ian Johnson, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2025
  • In addition to allowing programs to mine valuable older players, the transfer portal has given players the opportunity to freely move between schools, perhaps enticing some to stay in college rather than pursue a professional career.
    — Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Definition of mine
Verb
  • The series delves into the years-long investigation that ultimately led to Heuermann’s high-profile arrest in 2023, while also examining how the stigma surrounding the victims’ work as escorts may have slowed the pace of the case.
    — Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Workshops are designed for middle-school students to delve a little deeper into STEM studies.
    — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2025
Definition of delve
Verb
  • Want scoop on The Rookie, or for any other TV show?
    — Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 26 Mar. 2025
  • The stars of big streaming hits Rivals and Baby Reindeer have scooped gongs at this year’s Broadcasting Press Guild (BPG) Awards.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of scoop

Browse Nearby Words

quarries
quarry
quarrying
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Quarry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quarry. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on quarry

Nglish: Translation of quarry for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about quarry

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

How to Use Accents and Diacritical Marks
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

'When Pigs Fly' and Other Barnyard Idioms
See More

Popular

See More

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

'When Pigs Fly' and Other Barnyard Idioms
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
kestrel
Name That Bird Quiz Are you as wise as an owl or just another birdbrain?
See All