Meaning & use
rock-strewn
Last updated
UK/ˈrɒk struːn/
US/ˈrɑːk struːn/
Meaning
adjectivebefore a noun
Covered with many loose rocks or stones.
Grammar: Used before a noun: 'a rock-strewn path'. It is not usually used after a verb like 'be'.
Patterns
- rock-strewn path
- rock-strewn beach
- rock-strewn field
We walked carefully along the rock-strewn path.
The rock-strewn beach was difficult to cross.
They built a house on the rock-strewn hillside.
Common combinations
- rock-strewn path
- The rock-strewn path made hiking slow.
- rock-strewn beach
- The rock-strewn beach was not good for swimming.
- rock-strewn landscape
- The rock-strewn landscape stretched for miles.
Synonyms and how they differ
- stony
- Similar, but 'stony' can also mean 'cold or unfeeling' when describing a person; 'rock-strewn' only describes a surface.
- rocky
- More common and general; 'rocky' can also mean 'unstable' or 'difficult', while 'rock-strewn' is more specific to having many rocks on the ground.
Opposites
Practice
Which sentence uses 'rock-strewn' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Rock-strewn' means covered with rocks, so option D fits. Option A contradicts the meaning. Option B uses it as a noun, which is wrong. Option C uses it as a verb, which is wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “rock-strewn”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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