tomb

1 of 2

noun

ˈtüm 

1

a

: an excavation in which a corpse is buried : grave

b

: a place of interment

2

: a house, chamber, or vault for the dead

3

: a building or structure resembling a tomb (as in appearance)

tombless

ˈtüm-ləs 

adjective

tomb

2 of 2

verb

tombed; tombing; tombs

transitive verb

: bury, entomb

Synonyms of tomb

Noun

• burial
• grave
• cemetery
• sepulchre

Verb

• bury
• inter

Examples of tomb in a Sentence

Noun

the tomb of Alexander the Great

explored the historic graveyard and saw tombs that dated back two centuries

Verb

Forest Lawn is where many of Tinseltown's immortals are tombed for all eternity.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

There are two dogs, for example, in Bartholomeus van Bassen’s painting of an imagined church interior with the tomb of William the Silent (pictured above, 1620). —Literary Hub, 10 June 2026

Leo lit a candle and prayed at the tomb of Gaudí in the basilica’s crypt before the service, the highlight of Leo’s weeklong visit to Spain. —Joseph Wilson, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026

On arrival at the Sagrada Familia, the pope – who was greeted by the Spanish royal couple – went to the crypt and visited Gaudí’s tomb. —Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 10 June 2026

The former tomb-raiding Angelina Jolie also happens to be a Gemini, which Wilton Regan says is compatible with her own air sign. —Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English tombe, from Anglo-French tumbe, from Late Latin tumba sepulchral mound, from Greek tymbos; perhaps akin to Latin tumēre to be swollen — more at thumb entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tomb

• blume
• boom
• broom
• doom
• flume
• fume
• gloom
• glume
• groom
• loom
• plume
• rheum

Kids Definition

tomb

noun

ˈtüm

1

: grave entry 2 sense 1

2

: a house or burial chamber for dead people