Meaning & use
sea stacks
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“sea stacks” is a form of “sea stack”.
Meaning
nounpluraltechnical
Tall columns of rock standing in the sea near a coast, left behind after waves have worn away the surrounding land.
Grammar: Plural of 'sea stack': several sea stacks rose from the water.
Patterns
- sea stacks off the coast
Tourists took boats out to see the sea stacks at sunrise.
The sea stacks were once part of a cliff that stretched out into the bay.
Seabirds nest on top of the sea stacks.
Word forms
| singular | sea stack |
|---|
Common combinations
- towering sea stacks
- The towering sea stacks gleamed in the evening light.
- erosion of sea stacks
- The erosion of sea stacks is a slow process.
- sea stacks and arches
- The coast is famous for its sea stacks and arches.
- sea stacks off the coast
- Sea stacks off the coast attract many photographers.
- nesting on sea stacks
- Puffins were nesting on the sea stacks.
Synonyms and how they differ
- rock pillars
- A plain description that does not suggest the coastal erosion origin that 'sea stacks' implies.
- stumps
- Describes an old, worn-down sea stack, usually one that has lost its height.
- offshore rocks
- A broader phrase that can mean any rocks, not only tall columns formed by erosion.
Word family
Commonly confused: sea stacks or sea arches? sea stacks or sea cliffs?
sea stacks vs sea arches
Sea arches are rock bridges with a hole through them, while sea stacks stand alone as columns.
sea stacks vs sea cliffs
Sea cliffs are steep walls attached to the mainland, whereas stacks stand separately in the water.
Practice
How do sea stacks usually form?
Choose one answer.
Waves wear away softer rock, eventually leaving harder pillars isolated offshore.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sea stacks”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.