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
  • The move has sparked backlash, with opponents arguing that part of the purpose of the memorials is their subtle intrusion into everyday life.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Cameras pick back up 10 weeks later as the show’s captains gather a memorial for fallen fisherman and Rick says a moving prayer.
    — Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Critics contend that the 250-foot-tall monument, which would be nearly 100 feet taller than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, would obstruct historic views and interfere with the privacy of military funerals at nearby Arlington National Cemetery.
    — Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Within 45 seconds, all but the base slowly rotates and expands to disclose its true nature, a five-panel 4K MicroLED monument to form and function—the C Seed Bugatti N1 entertainment system.
    — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 20 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Cenotaph.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cenotaph. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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