burials

Definition of burialsnext
plural of burial
1
as in funerals
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 burials These later burials are called row-grave cemeteries because the graves were perfectly parallel to one another. Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 29 Apr. 2026 Graveyard workers declined to say how long ago the burials took place, or whether rituals were separate for each victim or held together for the group. ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026 Traditional burials demand abundant acreage, usually marked off in efficient grids. Justin Davidson, Curbed, 14 Apr. 2026 What immediately followed that tragic loss for Cronin was the surreal, administrative side of burials. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Apr. 2026 Inrap first found similar Gallic burials at the site in 2024. Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 11 Apr. 2026 It's believed the skeletons came from Gallic burials. Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026 The Iranian government has not allowed the media to publicize anti-regime voices from within Iran, and no one against the war or the regime would speak to CBS News on camera at the burials, even with the promise of anonymity. CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026 Public Health Minister Minto confirmed that water cremation will be subject to the same strict regulations as traditional burials and cremations. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burials
Noun
  • Since then, the 65-year-old has only made public appearances at family events, including his parents' funerals and, most recently, the funeral of Britain's Duchess of Kent, Katharine, in September.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Picture Indiana Jones swapping his fedora for a Han dynasty helmet, dodging booby traps in dusty Chinese tombs.
    Urnesha Bhattacherjee, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Since its founding in 1838, Green-Wood Cemetery’s permanent residents have lain among the hills of Brooklyn, their tranquility guarded by elaborate statuary, venerable trees, and sumptuous tombs.
    Justin Davidson, Curbed, 14 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Farran asked, gazing at their graves — cardboard signs smeared with handwritten Arabic because the war has made a proper burial in their village impossible.
    Isabel Debre, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
  • If Bruce Springsteen’s greatest gift was mythologizing the existential open graves swallowing up blue-collar workers, Mellencamp’s was his piercing ability to at once celebrate and dismantle agrarian fantasy.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Such hospitality was reserved for a narrow category of humanity, resembling as closely as possible those local barons whose surnames crusted the stones of local cemeteries.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Green burial – defined as the burial of human remains without embalming, contained only in a biodegradable shroud or casket – is legal in all 50 states and Washington, but is only offered by a small share of cemeteries.
    Tanya D. Marsh, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Burials.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burials. Accessed 6 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on burials

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster