tombstone

noun

tomb·​stone ˈtüm-ˌstōn How to pronounce tombstone (audio)

Examples of tombstone in a Sentence

the historic cemetery's many tombstones marking the graves of children are telling reminders of the harshness of pioneer life
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Concrete beams standing in the dirt like tall tombstones. Daniel Estrin, NPR, 7 Nov. 2025 After days of cleaning graves and decorating tombstones, the graveyard is awash in color and flickering candles. Rocío Muñoz-Ledo, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025 Other shipments containing cauldron, skeleton, or tombstones in the product description are up. Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025 The museum embraces the town’s unique role as a final home after one’s life, showcasing everything from early-20th-century embalming equipment to the tombstones of 19th-century San Francisco residents — once sold in a Santa Cruz consignment shop and advertised as Halloween decorations. Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 26 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tombstone

Word History

First Known Use

1540, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tombstone was in 1540

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tombstone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tombstone. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

tombstone

noun
tomb·​stone ˈtüm-ˌstōn How to pronounce tombstone (audio)

Geographical Definition

Tombstone

geographical name

Tomb·​stone ˈtüm-ˌstōn How to pronounce Tombstone (audio)
city in the southeastern corner of Arizona population 1380

Note: Tombstone was site of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral in 1881.

More from Merriam-Webster on tombstone

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