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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Recent Examples of cenotaph
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
Her bed has become her grave, a tomb beneath the ceiling of her room,
the ceiling a cenotaph.
—Mosab Abu Toha, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024
Hundreds of others squared up to police with shields at the town's cenotaph, throwing bricks, cans and pots at officers.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 5 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for cenotaph
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
Her bed has become her grave, a tomb beneath the ceiling of her room,
the ceiling a cenotaph.
—Mosab Abu Toha, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024
Hundreds of others squared up to police with shields at the town's cenotaph, throwing bricks, cans and pots at officers.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 5 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for cenotaph
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cenotaph
Noun
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Friends and strangers paid tribute at a growing memorial.—
Madisen Keavy,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
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The memorial is in the spring, date not determined yet.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Despite this drop in visitors, 26 of the 433 sites in the NPS system—which includes national parks, monuments, historic sites, battlefields, recreation areas, preserves, and seashores—broke all-time records for visitation.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
13 Mar. 2026
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Artist Lauren Halsey has built an architectural monument to South Los Angeles — its past, present and future.—
Jane Horowitz,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cenotaph.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cenotaph. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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