piles of snow

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "piles of snow" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe a large accumulation of snow, often after a snowfall. An example: "After the blizzard, there were piles of snow lining the streets." Alternative expressions include "mounds of snow" and "heaps of snow."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

48 human-written examples

Piles of snow line the vast parking lot.

The New York Times - Sports

"There weren't just mounds of snow or piles of snow...

The New York Times - Books

The sight of towering piles of snow shocked the young Southerner.

The New York Times

The playground had reopened only the afternoon before; small piles of snow were everywhere.

The New York Times

"The airboarders particularly love our whalebacks, which are big piles of snow, 20 feet high," he said.

The New York Times - Travel

Mr. Elderfield's odyssey to Ithaca involved piles of snow, a plane that couldn't land and a bus that caught fire.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

6 human-written examples

The pile of snow brought out the Boy Scout.

The New York Times

He passed a pile of snow that rose 10 feet above the street.

The New York Times - Travel

Topping off the dish was a pile of snow peas sautéed with garlic shards.

The New York Times

Where was the towering pile of snow that would be measured in feet not inches?

The New York Times

Not because it didn't work; it was buried under a half-foot pile of snow.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the setting; in literary descriptions, vivid adjectives like "sooty", "blackened" or "towering" often accompany this phrase to enhance imagery.

Common error

Do not use "piles of snow" if the snow has been naturally sculpted by the wind into ridges. In such cases, use "snow drifts" to be more precise. Using 'piles' usually implies a more static or human-made accumulation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "piles of snow" functions as a plural noun phrase. In many Ludwig AI examples, it acts as the direct object of a verb (e.g., "clearing "piles of snow"") or as the subject of a sentence. It consists of the head noun 'piles' followed by a prepositional phrase 'of snow' that modifies it.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Wiki

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Professional

1%

Social Media

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "piles of snow" is a highly common and grammatically correct expression used to describe large accumulations of snow. According to Ludwig AI, it is most frequently found in news reports describing winter weather events and their impact on urban infrastructure. While terms like "mounds of snow" or "snow drifts" offer more specific visual nuances, "piles of snow" remains the standard, versatile choice for general descriptions. It is rated highly by experts for its clarity and broad acceptance across all writing registers, from journalistic to scientific contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

heaps of snow

suggests a more disorganized or randomly gathered collection of snow

snow piles

the compound noun version, slightly more informal than the original phrase

mounds of snow

implies a more rounded or hill-like shape to the accumulation

snowbanks

describes a large mass of snow, often found along the side of a road or path

snow drifts

specifically refers to snow piled up by the force of wind

accumulations of snow

more formal and often used in meteorological or technical contexts

masses of snow

emphasizes the significant weight or sheer volume of the snow

snow mounds

a compound noun variation placing focus on the physical form

collections of snow

very broad and less descriptive of the physical structure

stacks of snow

uncommon and suggests a more vertical or layered arrangement

FAQs

What can I say instead of "piles of snow"?

Depending on the context, you might use "mounds of snow" for rounded shapes, "snow drifts" for wind-formed ridges or "heaps of snow" for disorganized collections.

How to use "piles of snow" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a wintry scene: "The snowplow left massive "piles of snow" at the end of every driveway."

Is it more correct to say "piles of snow" or "snow piles"?

Both are correct. "piles of snow" is a standard noun phrase that sounds slightly more descriptive, while "snow piles" is a common compound noun often used in more informal or brief communication.

What is the difference between "piles of snow" and "accumulations of snow"?

While "piles of snow" refers to the physical stacks, "accumulations of snow" is more formal and often refers to the total amount of snowfall measured over time.