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
As brush is cleared and pathways reopen, headstones belonging to College Park's first African American veterans, educators, morticians, community leaders, and generations of local families are beginning to reappear.
—
Nakell Williams, CBS News, 27 May 2026
Kara Jakubik, a 17-year-old Life Scout with Scouting America and an Ambassador with Girl Scouts, spent the morning with other volunteers walking through rows of headstones searching for symbols, such as military branch emblems.
—Abigail Dollins, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 May 2026
In 1948, the Army named the regiment as its official ceremonial unit and since then The Old Guard, along with some participants from other branches of the military, has annually placed flags at soldiers' headstones.
—Mike Snider, USA Today, 23 May 2026
Without headstones, Loving Earth will not look like a conventional cemetery.
—Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 18 May 2026
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating vandalism at Old Memphis Cemetery in Palmetto, where deputies say 17 grave sites were damaged with broken and knocked-down headstones, graffiti and damaged concrete.
—Miami Herald, 13 May 2026
Six of the headstones bear the names of firefighters the Soviet press has identified as victims of radiation at Chernobyl, and a cemetery official said Tuesday the plot was for those who died as a result of the nuclear accident.
—ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026
Beneath the headstones and quiet walking paths of a cemetery in Ithaca, New York, something incredible has been happening — completely out of sight.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 23 Apr. 2026
An intruder entered the graveyard in an attempt to steal headstones for their bronze and copper plaques, the owner said.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Nakell Williams, CBS News, 27 May 2026
Kara Jakubik, a 17-year-old Life Scout with Scouting America and an Ambassador with Girl Scouts, spent the morning with other volunteers walking through rows of headstones searching for symbols, such as military branch emblems.
—Abigail Dollins, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 May 2026
In 1948, the Army named the regiment as its official ceremonial unit and since then The Old Guard, along with some participants from other branches of the military, has annually placed flags at soldiers' headstones.
—Mike Snider, USA Today, 23 May 2026
Without headstones, Loving Earth will not look like a conventional cemetery.
—Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 18 May 2026
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating vandalism at Old Memphis Cemetery in Palmetto, where deputies say 17 grave sites were damaged with broken and knocked-down headstones, graffiti and damaged concrete.
—Miami Herald, 13 May 2026
Six of the headstones bear the names of firefighters the Soviet press has identified as victims of radiation at Chernobyl, and a cemetery official said Tuesday the plot was for those who died as a result of the nuclear accident.
—ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026
Beneath the headstones and quiet walking paths of a cemetery in Ithaca, New York, something incredible has been happening — completely out of sight.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 23 Apr. 2026
An intruder entered the graveyard in an attempt to steal headstones for their bronze and copper plaques, the owner said.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headstones
Noun
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The Pontiac Gazette newspaper in Oakland County reported storm damage included apple and peach trees uprooted or twisted, churches destroyed, and cemetery tombstones blown down.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
-
The veil of past and present, for example, takes an abstract turn in Altar I, while Todos los santos (Para subir al Cielo) shows a cemetery with various cross-shaped tombstones, with a ladder leaning on a wall spectrally overlaid on the image.—
Maximilíano Durón,
ARTnews.com,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
In Istanbul, a corn vendor is pulling bigger crowds than some of the city’s monuments.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
6 June 2026
-
As his birthday approached, social media was flooded with the hashtag #RaúlesRaúl, a political figure who has long been adverse to birthdays, monuments and statues, just like his brother.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Headstones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headstones. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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