Definition of burialnext
1
as in funeral
the act or ceremony of putting a dead body in its final resting place the children wanted to give the dead bird a proper burial in the backyard

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2
as in tomb
a final resting place for a dead person archaeologically significant artifacts, such as stone tools, have been discovered in Neanderthal burials

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of burial The dangers faced by health workers have been heightened by anger among residents over the stringent medical protocols for handling the victims’ bodies, which clash with local burial rites. Justin Kabumba, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026 The dangers faced by health workers have been heightened by anger among residents over the stringent medical protocols for handling the victims' bodies, which clash with local burial rites. CBS News, 31 May 2026 Studying disease expression in non-adults As study authors described, Camino del Molino, in Caravaca de la Cruz, is the most significant due to its size as a Copper Age collective burial in Europe. Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 30 May 2026 Distrust, travel bans could complicate response Dangers faced by health workers have been heightened by anger among residents over the stringent medical protocols for dealing with the bodies of victims, which clash with local burial rites. Mark Banchereau, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for burial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burial
Noun
  • One of the most frustrating aspects of the Euphoria series finale is that there is no funeral for Rue.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 2 June 2026
  • At the funeral mass, which was invitation-only, Philip sat far back in the packed church, which only held 1,100.
    Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 2 June 2026
Noun
  • The Drenthepad covers roughly 340 kilometers (211 miles) across the unspoiled Dutch province of Drenthe, passing megalithic tombs, heathlands, forests and small villages, and crossing three national parks.
    Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
  • The route passes megalithic tombs, heathlands, forests and small villages, and crosses three different national parks along the way.
    Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026
Noun
  • From the day of death until the interment of an associate justice of the Supreme Court, a secretary of an executive or military department, a former vice president or the governor of a state.
    Laura Daniella Sepulveda, AZCentral.com, 25 May 2026
  • Following the service, a procession of family and invited guests led by the Idaho State Police will proceed to the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery for the interment ceremony.
    Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 2 May 2026
Noun
  • The Marby grave brings together cremation, a stone monument, and this ritualistic deposit of bronze objects, which is synonymous with the end of this era when the treatment and use of bronze objects changed—often left in hoards on land or in water, sometimes as offerings to gods or divinities.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 31 May 2026
  • With each passing day, its oldster cast — including Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, and Geena Davis — is closer to the grave.
    Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 31 May 2026
Noun
  • The snow eventually hardens like a concrete entombment.
    Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
  • City and county governments set local rules covering burials, inurnments, entombments and the upkeep of cemeteries, mausoleums and columbariums, according to state law.
    Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The video showed Disneyland visitors squeezing past the lapbars on the closed ride vehicles and walking around the Haunted Mansion cemetery set amid moving animatronic figures and props.
    Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 2 June 2026
  • Excavations at the site are ongoing, and archaeologists hope future work will provide a clearer picture of the people buried there and the role the cemetery played in the final centuries of Heliopolis.
    Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 1 June 2026
Noun
  • Eaton wildfire survivors’ anger about Southern California Edison’s burying of electric wires in Altadena boiled over Tuesday with residents calling on government officials to temporarily halt the work.
    Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
  • According to Purina, a common quirky habit many dog owners notice is food-burying.
    Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Burial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burial. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.

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