me·mo·ri·al
mə-ˈmȯr-ē-əl 
1
: serving to preserve remembrance : commemorative
2
: of or relating to memory
1
2
b
: memorandum, note
specifically
: a legal abstract
c
: a statement of facts addressed to a government and often accompanied by a petition or remonstrance
Examples of memorial in a Sentence
Adjective
a memorial plaque on the bridge for a diver who died in the line of duty
Noun
the Vietnam War Memorial is a starkly beautiful testimonial to the bravery of the soldiers who served in Vietnam
Recent Examples on the Web
Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025
In a year when the question of universal freedom still feels contested, The Gettin’ lands as both memorial and mirror, recalling the losses named in 2014 and 2020 and implicating the present tense.
—Skylar Mitchell, Essence, 29 Sep. 2025
Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2025
However, the families of the deceased claim they were left out of the loop and had no heads-up regarding any plans for a memorial.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for memorial
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Adjective
The odd photo pushes Dan to return home as his relatives gather for his brother's memorial dinner, but Dan's not looking for a family reunion.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025
In a year when the question of universal freedom still feels contested, The Gettin’ lands as both memorial and mirror, recalling the losses named in 2014 and 2020 and implicating the present tense.
—Skylar Mitchell, Essence, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
The surge of activity at the memorial fits into a wider Republican push to erase Democrats’ registration advantages in battleground states.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2025
However, the families of the deceased claim they were left out of the loop and had no heads-up regarding any plans for a memorial.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for memorial
Cite this Entry
“Memorial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/memorial. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
memorial
1 of 2 adjective
me·mo·ri·al
mə-ˈmōr-ē-əl
-ˈmȯr-
: serving to preserve the memory of a person or an event
a memorial service
memorial
2 of 2 noun
: something that keeps alive the memory of a person or event
especially
: monument sense 1
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