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
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, the city’s mayor and other officials laid flowers at the cenotaph.
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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
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
See All Example Sentences for 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
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
See All Example Sentences for cenotaph
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cenotaph
Noun
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The memorial had poignant moments.
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Congress named the performing arts venue as a living memorial to Kennedy in 1964, the year after he was assassinated.
Noun
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While buildings and monuments safeguard the past, McGee believes the future of Kansas City jazz ultimately rests with the musicians themselves.
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The Wildland Firefighter Foundation maintains a monument in Boise, Idaho, as well as a Wall of Honor, which memorializes each of the fallen.
Cite this Entry
“Cenotaph.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cenotaph. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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