burial

noun

buri·​al ˈber-ē-əl 

ˈbe-rē-

also ˈbər-ē-

often attributive

1

: grave, tomb

2

: the act or process of burying

Synonyms of burial

• funeral
• interment
• entombment
• burying

Examples of burial in a Sentence

They prepared the body for burial.

She wanted to give him a proper burial.

Did you attend the burial?

The law prohibits the burial of toxic substances without special permits.

Recent Examples on the Web

In Hamnet, Shakespeare is shown to be there only for the burial; his having been in London when the boy died drives the wedge even further between him and Agnes, who, in desperation, tried everything to save her sick children. —Nathan Smith, Time, 26 Nov. 2025

Tim’s body was transported back to Ittoqqortoormiit for burial. —Ben Taub, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025

The girl's body was tangled and face-down with no such offerings, a stark contrast to the other burials in the settlement. —Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 24 Nov. 2025

While speaking to Times Union, Marshall said that a local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution listed potential Revolutionary-era burial sites in the area in the 1950s. —Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 23 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English beriel, berial, back-formation from beriels (taken as a plural), from Old English byrgels; akin to Old Saxon burgisli tomb, Old English byrgan to bury — more at bury

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing burial

• burial ground
• burial plot

Rhymes for burial

• aerial
• areal
• ariel
• actuarial
• adversarial
• secretarial
• urticarial
• antimalarial
• biserial
• filarial
• malarial
• subaerial

Kids Definition

burial

noun

buri·​al ˈber-ē-əl 

: the act of burying