i was stone

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I was stone" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be an attempt to convey a state of being extremely high or intoxicated, but it lacks clarity and proper grammatical structure. Example: "After that party, I felt like I was stone, unable to think straight."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

"I was stone broke.

The New York Times

I had to quit the tour and I was stone deaf".

The New York Times - Sports

Everybody thought I was stone bonkers and we did it.

BBC

Yet here I was stone broke.

Huffington Post

I can own all of my behavior knowing full well I was stone cold sober.

Vice

I can own all of my behaviour knowing full well I was stone cold sober.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

I was stone-faced during this endless, cheap and shouty 21 minutes.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

When I had the idea for some of my best songs I was stone-cold sober.

The Guardian - Music

"I was definitely petrified, like my last Wimbledon, when I was stone-faced before the match," she said.

The New York Times - Sports

When was he wiped out? "At 50 I was stone-cold broke, I had no agent, two young children.

The Guardian

"I was stoned," he said.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for clarity, replace the phrase "I was stone" with more commonly understood expressions like "I was "stoned"" (if referring to being under the influence) or "I was stone-cold sober/broke" (to emphasize sobriety/lack of funds).

Common error

Avoid using "I was stone" as a direct substitute for established idioms like "stone-cold sober" or "stone broke". The phrase on its own lacks the idiomatic weight and may confuse your audience. Prefer "I was "stone cold sober"" or "I was "stone broke"" when referring to those precise conditions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I was stone" functions primarily as a statement, though its grammatical incorrectness impacts its clarity. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is not correct in standard written English. In the provided examples, the phrase seems to be an attempt to express a state of being.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "I was stone" is grammatically questionable and not standard English. Ludwig AI marks this phrase as not correct. While it appears in some sources, it is often an attempt to convey being under the influence (where "I was "stoned"" is more appropriate) or using fragments of other common phrases. For clarity, consider using established idioms like ""stone cold sober"" or ""stone broke"", or rephrasing entirely to avoid confusion.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I was stoned

Changes "stone" to "stoned", the common term for being under the influence of drugs.

I was stone cold sober

Adds "cold sober" to "stone" to express a state of complete sobriety.

I was stone cold broke

Adds "cold broke" to "stone" to express a state of being completely without money.

I was completely broke

Replaces "stone" with "completely" to express a state of being completely without money.

I was totally sober

Replaces "stone" with "totally" to express a state of complete sobriety.

I felt petrified

Replaces "stone" with "petrified" to express a state of being extremely frightened.

I was like a stone

Uses "like a stone" to describe being immobile or unresponsive.

I was expressionless

Expresses a lack of emotion or reaction.

I was unresponsive

Expresses a lack of response or reaction.

I was motionless

Expresses a lack of movement.

FAQs

What does "I was stone" mean?

The phrase "I was stone" is not a standard English idiom and its meaning is unclear without further context. It could be an attempt to say "I was "stoned"" (intoxicated), or perhaps trying to use parts of other phrases like "stone cold sober" or "stone broke".

How to properly use "stone" in a sentence?

The word "stone" is often used in idioms such as "stone-cold sober" to mean completely sober, or "stone broke" to mean without any money. You can also use "stone" to describe something made of stone, like "a stone wall".

Is it correct to say "I was stone" instead of "I was stoned"?

No, it is not correct. The correct term for being under the influence of drugs is "I was "stoned"". The phrase "I was stone" is grammatically incorrect in this context.

What are some alternatives to "I was stone" to describe being broke?

If you want to describe being broke, you could say "I was "stone broke"", "I was completely broke", or "I was penniless".