1
2
as in to conceal
to put into a hiding place buried his face in his hands as his wife recounted the embarrassing incident

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3

Synonym Chooser

How is the word bury distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of bury are conceal, hide, screen, and secrete. While all these words mean "to withhold or withdraw from sight," bury implies covering up so as to hide completely.

buried the treasure

When would conceal be a good substitute for bury?

The meanings of conceal and bury largely overlap; however, conceal usually does imply intent and often specifically implies a refusal to divulge.

concealed the weapon

Where would hide be a reasonable alternative to bury?

The synonyms hide and bury are sometimes interchangeable, but hide may or may not suggest intent.

hide in the closet
a house hidden in the woods

When might screen be a better fit than bury?

While the synonyms screen and bury are close in meaning, screen implies an interposing of something that prevents discovery.

a house screened by trees

When is it sensible to use secrete instead of bury?

The words secrete and bury can be used in similar contexts, but secrete suggests a depositing in a place unknown to others.

secreted the amulet inside his shirt

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bury Roundabouts replaced all the traffic lights, and the overhanging electrical lines were buried out of sight. Sally Ventura june 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025 Porter was buried behind two All-Stars and Ty Jerome. Law Murray, New York Times, 22 June 2025 My question stems from a news story that flew under the radar during the past week as our debate centered on Fordow, the deep underground enrichment facility buried in the mountains outside Qom. Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 22 June 2025 The nuclear fuel enrichment site at Fordo is buried deep beneath a mountain, and the attack against it used bunker-buster bombs designed to penetrate the ground before exploding, a U.S. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. Elena Becatoros, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for bury
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bury
Verb
  • But although tens of thousands of visitors were coming for respite, too few were buying: only a hundred and seventy-five people were interred there by 1843.
    Paige Williams, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
  • Secretaries of State, including Colin Powell, John Dulles, Alexander Haig and George Marshall are interred at Arlington.
    Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 27 May 2025
Verb
  • Many of the individuals, including some concealing their faces with masks and hoods, appeared to be filming the cruiser with cell phones.
    Staff report, Hartford Courant, 16 June 2025
  • Kate goes to extreme measures to conceal her daughter’s crime, preparing her with an ironclad alibi and dumping the dead body into a nearby lake.
    Francesca Gariano, People.com, 14 June 2025
Verb
  • Advertisement Indiana tried its best to overcome heartbreak in Game 7: Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers’ star point guard who was playing with a calf strain in his right leg, suffered an achilles injury in the first quarter.
    Sean Gregory, Time, 23 June 2025
  • The Thunder overcame two Game 7s en route to the title, and they will now forever be called champions.
    Matt Levine, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • The palette is a unique blend of pink, tan, and hints of blue-green that add a subtle amount of color while still hiding dirt and debris.
    Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 26 June 2025
  • Weathered and bumpy, the wall hidden among the surplus clothing stores of the Fashion District was hardly the perfect canvas.
    Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • Ohtani recorded two strikeouts while throwing 18 pitches, allowing his only baserunner on an error when Mookie Betts dropped a popup in the sun.
    Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 23 June 2025
  • The match was initially suspended as seats in the Salernitana section of the ground were ripped up and thrown onto the pitch, alongside flares, and the referee took both sets of players off the field and back into the changing rooms.
    Ali Rampling, New York Times, 22 June 2025
Verb
  • This speaks to the potential that Iran owes to its heritage, but that has been smothered by a small, inward looking and harsh theocracy, aided and abetted by the Revolutionary Guard who exert de facto control over the Iranian economy as well as other sectors.
    Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
  • Vines like English ivy, wisteria, honeysuckle, and bittersweet can smother trees and shrubs, block sunlight, and spread aggressively if not controlled early.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 14 June 2025
Verb
  • But those threats were beaten back in the last few years of war, and twice last year, Israel got practice rounds bombing Iran following Iranian missile fire.
    Daniel Estrin, NPR, 25 June 2025
  • But the Israel-Iran conflict − and Trump's decision to bomb three Iranian nuclear sites − has scrambled the high-stakes meeting as world leaders search for an endgame to the 12-day air war that's killed hundreds of people in Iran and dozens in Israel.
    Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • The table also becomes a circle, flattened by perspective.
    Nishant Jain, The Dial, 24 June 2025
  • According to The Weather Channel, changes in pressure and winds will create a heat dome that will flatten out slowly next week.
    Amalia Huot-Marchand, The Hill, 21 June 2025

Cite this Entry

“Bury.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bury. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on bury

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!