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

Martha was a very devoted hostess, Mary was the first person to see the resurrected Christ, and Lazarus was miraculously raised by Jesus from the dead and emerged from the tomb wearing his burial cloths. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026

The 32-suite vessel will offer four-night voyages between Luxor and Aswan, during which guests can visit some of Egypt’s most famous archaeological sites, including the tombs of Nefertari, Seti I, Ramses VI, and King Tutankhamun. — Susan B. Barnes, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2026

Beyond the tombs and altar, ALMAS will also hold its Reflections of Life memorial and Monarch Tribute. — Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026

For the same reasons little dogs appeared so frequently at the feet of dead women (and clerics) in tomb sculpture, plenty of Renaissance portraits feature them as a symbol of fidelity. — Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 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