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 There were constant funeral processions as the cemetery below saw 30 to 40 burials per week, bringing the war to the president’s doorstep. Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 3 May 2026 Researchers and industry experts said people worry about how conventional death practices such as embalming, fire cremation and casket and vault burials affect the climate, environment and people’s health. Dorany Pineda, Fortune, 2 May 2026 At Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery in Florida, natural burials are combined with land conservation. ABC News, 1 May 2026 As of February 2026, the university repatriated 9,303 human remains, 476,592 items used for burials, and 140,443 other cultural items, among other objects, according to its database. Kerri J. Malloy, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026 These later burials are called row-grave cemeteries because the graves were perfectly parallel to one another. Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 29 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
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
  • Legend has it that these relics are the remains of martyrs from the early days of Christianity in Rome that were discovered in the 16th century in unmarked graves in the city's catacombs.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 May 2026
  • When the initial discovery of the necropolis was announced in March, Josip Romić, the mayor of Vinkovci, said the graves are believed to be from the 2nd or 3rd centuries CE.
    Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 8 May 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 13 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