as in tombstones
a shaped stone laid over or erected near a grave and usually bearing an inscription to identify and preserve the memory of the deceased
many of the headstones were for children who had died during the influenza epidemic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 headstones
The alleged thieves ripped bronze plaques and grave markers from headstones and walls of the cemetery's mausoleum.
—
Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2026
There were previously more headstones before a 1940s landowner had many of them hauled away into the swamp.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2026
In Sarajevo, the sight of rows of white headstones bearing the names of thousands of victims killed by Milosevic gives stark testimony to the moral vacuity embedded in the practice of conveniently naïve diplomacy.
—Bill Keane, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
The result was a database of over 5,000 headstones marking where over 6,000 individuals had been laid to rest.
—Robbyn Abbitt, The Conversation, 10 Feb. 2026
No one knows where Frank died and is buried, and the Oakwood graves of Helen, Ada, and Dewitt have no headstones.
—Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Jan. 2026
Originally a cemetary, the headstones were removed in the late 1960s to make way for a park.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Dec. 2025
Strathroy | Istock | Getty Images For nearly a century, John Dioguardi’s family has been making custom headstones and other memorial markers at Rome Monument in western Pennsylvania.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 30 Nov. 2025
But there were obvious omissions; people with military headstones — the type engraved with a name, a branch and a war fought — weren’t on the list.
—Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 11 Nov. 2025
Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2026
There were previously more headstones before a 1940s landowner had many of them hauled away into the swamp.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2026
In Sarajevo, the sight of rows of white headstones bearing the names of thousands of victims killed by Milosevic gives stark testimony to the moral vacuity embedded in the practice of conveniently naïve diplomacy.
—Bill Keane, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
The result was a database of over 5,000 headstones marking where over 6,000 individuals had been laid to rest.
—Robbyn Abbitt, The Conversation, 10 Feb. 2026
No one knows where Frank died and is buried, and the Oakwood graves of Helen, Ada, and Dewitt have no headstones.
—Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Jan. 2026
Originally a cemetary, the headstones were removed in the late 1960s to make way for a park.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Dec. 2025
Strathroy | Istock | Getty Images For nearly a century, John Dioguardi’s family has been making custom headstones and other memorial markers at Rome Monument in western Pennsylvania.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 30 Nov. 2025
But there were obvious omissions; people with military headstones — the type engraved with a name, a branch and a war fought — weren’t on the list.
—Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 11 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headstones
Noun
-
In 1975, the museum purchased his work Georgia Gate, a structure of fluidly bent pine staves inspired by photos of Georgia tombstones the artist saw in musicologist Marshall Stearns’s 1970 book The Story of Jazz.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Last year, the City Council approved an ordinance to offer rewards for information involving theft of city plaques, tombstones, statues, light standards, and copper wire, and theft of metals linked to the Sixth Street Bridge.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Rangers said Reisinger vandalized two monuments at Little Round Top in Gettysburg National Military Park last year.—
Madeline Bartos,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Headstones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headstones. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
