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
  • Several makeshift memorials with flowers and candles appeared across the city on Sunday.
    — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 8 Nov. 2026
  • True to tradition, Charles III laid a wreath at the memorial on behalf of the nation and led the royal family.
    — Amaia Odriozola, Vanity Fair, 8 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Trump has said for months that the monument would be inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and that Washington has wanted a similar structure for centuries — even though that’s not true.
    — Will Weissert, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
  • All three of the sneakrs come in a special box with an illustrated map that adds even more local monuments, as well as insole bearing the same graphic.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Cenotaph.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cenotaph. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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