churchyard

noun

Definition of churchyardnext
1
as in cemetery

Related Words

Relevance
2
as in backyard

Related Words

Example Sentences

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 churchyard Only days before, Al-Rahi had stood in the very churchyard where the crowd assembled Wednesday for his funeral. — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026 An unusual structural failure recently caused a dramatic, sinkhole-like collapse in an historic English churchyard — revealing a 300-year-old family vault. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 26 Nov. 2025 Workers buried long lengths of pipe in the churchyard, to soak up some of the naturally present warmth in the ground. — Chris Baraniuk, Wired News, 13 Nov. 2025 As befits the setting of an old stone church with a shadowy churchyard, theological themes surface concerning everything from faith to resurrection to desecration to the nature of miracles. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019 See All Example Sentences for churchyard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for churchyard
  1. cemetery
  2. backyard
  3. catacombs
  4. garden
  5. graveyard
  6. dooryard
  7. campus
Noun
  • The memorial, which features sculptures of an angel and bronze doves, is located in a cemetery that is also home to the world’s largest Catholic mausoleum.
    — Luis Andres Henao, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • This particular set of remains—46 crania stored at Cambridge University—came from the Umm el-Qaab cemetery, which contains subsidiary burials presumed to be retainers of deceased First Dynasty rulers.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of cemetery
Noun
  • To illustrate that concern, Lexington Select Board member Jill Hai took me to the backyard of a yellow clapboard two-story home with windows trimmed in red.
    — Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 13 Oct. 2026
  • On Tuesday, police are digging up the backyard of the Olney home with heavy equipment to search for human remains.
    — Joe Holden, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of backyard
Noun
  • But passing motorists largely knew nothing of the collection of handmade replica of catacombs, Biblical scenes and Israelite villages beneath it.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Avedon, whose work and career had a big influence on Hujar early on, had produced a series of images of the Palermo catacombs in 1959.
    — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
Definition of catacombs
Noun
  • Rooms are below and the pools and gardens on the ground floor – though this does make the lifts a little confusing as numbers go up even though floors go down.
    — Siobhan Grogan, TheWeek, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The home is set on a private acre of gardens, and features several verandas that are well-suited for al fresco dining.
    — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of garden
Noun
  • Kumari plays Sahibjaan, born in a graveyard to a courtesan who was spurned by her husband’s aristocratic family.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Led by various instructors, the practice uses the graveyard setting to demystify death, reduce stress and teach participants how to live more consciously.
    — Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of graveyard
Noun
  • These are often called dooryard violets and the Latin name is viola sororia.
    — Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Bridal elms flank a door; an 80-foot dooryard elm shades a house.
    — Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2022
Definition of dooryard
Noun
  • The film’s campus is styled after the Dark Academia aesthetic.
    — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Other Chicago campuses offer support through existing resources, including Northwestern University’s Center for Student Advocacy and Wellness and UIC’s Women’s Leadership and Resource Center and Campus Advocacy Network.
    — Kate Perez, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of campus

Browse Nearby Words

churchmen
churchyard
churchyards
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Churchyard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/churchyard. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All