potter's field

Definition of potter's fieldnext
as in cemetery
a piece of land used for burying the dead criminals and unidentified people are sometimes buried in a potter's field

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 potter's field According to a 1951 Milwaukee Journal article, the potter's field was the burial site of many victims of the city's 1849-1850 cholera epidemic, which was estimated to have killed as many as 700 of the city's then-20,000 residents. Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 11 Oct. 2024 The island is not only the largest potter's field in the U.S., but it is also believed to be the single largest AIDS burial site, according to the NYC Parks Department. Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 1 Dec. 2023 The family lived down the street from the potter's field where the boy was first buried, and placed flowers there on holidays. Maryclaire Dale, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for potter's field
Noun
  • Outside the cemetery, father and son stood in a line with their male relatives to receive condolences.
    Rania Abouzeid, New Yorker, 21 May 2026
  • The hotel is within the Old Cambridge Historic District, next to a cemetery where soldiers who fought at Bunker Hill during the American Revolution are buried.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 May 2026
Noun
  • The cemetery is the second oldest graveyard in the San Fernando Valley.
    Holly Andres, Daily News, 20 May 2026
  • Closer to the audience, there is a graveyard traversed by roving immigration officers.
    Juan A. Ramírez, Vogue, 20 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Potter's field.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/potter%27s%20field. Accessed 23 May. 2026.

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