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
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Recent Examples of headstones
Israeli soldiers bulldozed the cemetery down the road with no headstones visible to indicate who is buried where.
—
Jane Arraf, NPR, 3 Nov. 2025
National cemeteries will continue burials, and families can still apply for markers, headstones and burial benefits.
—David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Children play among headstones, and locals see ornate mausoleums daily on their way to run errands; the graveyards woven into public life as parks and libraries are in other cities.
—Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 26 Oct. 2025
Neighbors worked in flower shops or setting headstones.
—Chris Kenning, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025
Aside from paying your respects to these icons on a cemetery tour, visit in the summer for its famous Cinespia screenings, when the graveyard transforms into an open-air cinema that projects films onto a mausoleum wall, surrounded by intricate headstones.
—Sophie-Claire Hoeller, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
There are only a few headstones left standing in the ruins of its cemetery, but that doesn’t take from the fright.
—Emilee Coblentz, Outside, 16 Oct. 2025
No grounds maintenance or placement of permanent headstones at VA cemeteries.
—C. A. Bridges, Freep.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Burials at national cemeteries proceed, along with related applications for headstones, markers, and burial benefits.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Jane Arraf, NPR, 3 Nov. 2025
National cemeteries will continue burials, and families can still apply for markers, headstones and burial benefits.
—David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Children play among headstones, and locals see ornate mausoleums daily on their way to run errands; the graveyards woven into public life as parks and libraries are in other cities.
—Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 26 Oct. 2025
Neighbors worked in flower shops or setting headstones.
—Chris Kenning, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025
Aside from paying your respects to these icons on a cemetery tour, visit in the summer for its famous Cinespia screenings, when the graveyard transforms into an open-air cinema that projects films onto a mausoleum wall, surrounded by intricate headstones.
—Sophie-Claire Hoeller, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
There are only a few headstones left standing in the ruins of its cemetery, but that doesn’t take from the fright.
—Emilee Coblentz, Outside, 16 Oct. 2025
No grounds maintenance or placement of permanent headstones at VA cemeteries.
—C. A. Bridges, Freep.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Burials at national cemeteries proceed, along with related applications for headstones, markers, and burial benefits.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headstones
Noun
-
After days of cleaning graves and decorating tombstones, the graveyard is awash in color and flickering candles.—
Rocío Muñoz-Ledo,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Other shipments containing cauldron, skeleton, or tombstones in the product description are up.—
Lori Ann LaRocco,
CNBC,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The ceremony featured a dazzling light and music show outside the museum, with massive screens displaying Egypt's ancient monuments.—
Ayat Al-Tawy,
ABC News,
2 Nov. 2025
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The functional centerpiece is a six-story staircase, which leads museumgoers past stone monuments and pharaonic statues arranged in reverse chronological order.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Headstones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headstones. Accessed 21 Nov. 2025.
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