cenotaph

Definition of cenotaphnext
as in memorial
a special structure or statue that is built to remind people of a dead person who is buried somewhere else

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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 cenotaph This image taken on August 5, 2025, shows the cenotaph ahead of the 80th anniversary of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Aug. 2025 Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, the city’s mayor and other officials laid flowers at the cenotaph. Mari Yamaguchi, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025 Tombs were frequently located by the sea, especially cenotaphs – empty graves meant to memorialize those who died at sea and whose bodies could not be recovered. Marie-Claire Beaulieu, The Conversation, 28 July 2025 Instead of the vast open space, there are now hundreds of near identical cenotaphs, each featuring the name and a picture of a victim. Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 7 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for cenotaph
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cenotaph
Noun
  • But in the meantime, before all these cosmic, life-and-death questions can be answered, this episode of Lanterns makes for a meaningful memorial to a deeply imperfect hero.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
  • But Trump’s obsession with these vulgar memorials to his own vanity is a reminder of the darkness around him, of his hostility to democracy, his loathing of honor, and his disordered mind.
    Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • In positioning New York as not just the center of our reality but others as well, Control Resonant continues a proud tradition of using the city as a monument to human pride contrasting against an inhuman menace.
    Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Fort Taylor is a national historic monument and state park that houses the largest collection of Civil War armament in the world.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026

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“Cenotaph.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cenotaph. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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