as in tombstone
a shaped stone laid over or erected near a grave and usually bearing an inscription to identify and preserve the memory of the deceased
many of the headstones were for children who had died during the influenza epidemic
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Recent Examples of headstone
But there were obvious omissions; people with military headstones — the type engraved with a name, a branch and a war fought — weren’t on the list.
—
Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 11 Nov. 2025
Israeli soldiers bulldozed the cemetery down the road with no headstones visible to indicate who is buried where.
—Jane Arraf, NPR, 3 Nov. 2025
There is no grounds maintenance or placement of permanent headstones at VA cemeteries.
—David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Children play among headstones, and locals see ornate mausoleums daily on their way to run errands; the graveyards woven into public life as parks and libraries are in other cities.
—Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for headstone
Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 11 Nov. 2025
Israeli soldiers bulldozed the cemetery down the road with no headstones visible to indicate who is buried where.
—Jane Arraf, NPR, 3 Nov. 2025
There is no grounds maintenance or placement of permanent headstones at VA cemeteries.
—David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Children play among headstones, and locals see ornate mausoleums daily on their way to run errands; the graveyards woven into public life as parks and libraries are in other cities.
—Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for headstone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headstone
Noun
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Cattails are native to Florida, but in the Everglades they have been characterized as another tombstone, a sign that nutrient pollution from sugarcane farms to the north has transformed the ecosystem into something else.—
Amy Green,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
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Continue reading … FAVORITE FOODS – California librarian cooks meals from tombstone recipes to honor strangers.—
,
FOXNews.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The Fort Worth of the 1800s, a hub of livestock trading and a living monument to cowboy culture, hasn’t died.—
Chris Torres,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Jan. 2026
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For travelers interested in exploring more than just free-entry parks, the National Park Service maintains a database of other sites, monuments, and memorials that don’t require a fee.—
Opheli Garcia Lawler,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Headstone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headstone. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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