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

Advertisements for reenactments of noteworthy murders; placards describing the exact location of old saloons; banners proclaiming Days of ’76; sepia photography studios; graveyards with entrance fees to visit the burial sites of those who created the myths of the Great American West. —Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025

The human remains were a mix of white and black burials, indicating the site was probably more integrated than believed, city and archeological officials said. —Alexandria Burris, IndyStar, 14 Nov. 2025

Researchers curious if the same was true for other creatures living alongside them turned to DNA from 17 dogs that lived in the last 10,000 years in Eurasia, including one from the burial in Kazakhstan. —Veronique Greenwood, Time, 14 Nov. 2025

The burial locations suggest a folk cult operated outside the city, possibly comprised of local farmers who couldn't enter the main temple. —Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 13 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