bones
6 synonyms for bones, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Plural of bone; the skeletal parts of a body.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
clappers
castanets
How to use bones
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
good bones
roll the bones
Frequently asked questions
What does “bones” mean?
The word “bones” means plural of bone; the skeletal parts of a body. In plain terms, more than one bone, or informally, the essential structure of something.
How do you pronounce “bones”?
“Bones” is pronounced bohnz (/boʊnz/ in IPA).
How do you use “bones” in a sentence?
Here is “bones” used in a sentence: “Archaeologists uncovered ancient bones at the site.”
What part of speech is “bones”?
“Bones” is a noun.
Is “bones” a common word?
“Bones” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “bones” have?
“Bones” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: plural of bone; the skeletal parts of a body.
What is the difference between "bones" and "skeleton"?
"Bones" refers to the individual hard parts themselves, which can be counted or separated, while a "skeleton" is the entire connected framework they form. You might find "a pile of bones," but "a skeleton" implies the whole structure assembled together.
