tombstones

plural of tombstone
as in monuments
a shaped stone laid over or erected near a grave and usually bearing an inscription to identify and preserve the memory of the deceased the historic cemetery's many tombstones marking the graves of children are telling reminders of the harshness of pioneer life

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 tombstones Brushing off tombstones is a regular ritual in some cultures, including in Mexico where entire families clean and decorate graves, which are covered with orange marigolds for Day of the Dead. — Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026 Some of these spooky spectacles incorporate lights that dance to music, animatronics that come to life and graveyards full of tombstones. — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026 Think tombstones, solid skeletons, signs or other decorations that hold their shape and don’t have loose or dangling parts. — Katie Koschalk, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2026 That’s presumably the idea behind the recipes people have carved into their tombstones, which, yes, is a real thing that happens quite often. — Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026 King said when individuals were buried on top of one another, the cemetery’s management removed the tombstones and resold the plots. — Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 Aug. 2026 There was a time when it was commonly used on tombstones, which is not an informal medium. — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2026 The juvenile green, leafy trees had vanished and were replaced by rows of thin, lifeless trunks staked into the ground like tombstones. — Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026 The eight objects offered at Bonhams and Apollo Art Auction House include statue heads, an inscription and tombstones. — News Desk, Artforum, 7 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tombstones
Noun
  • Under Burgum's 2025 campaign, signs, books, films and exhibits covering topics such as slavery, climate change and the massacre of Native Americans were flagged and removed from national parks and monuments nationwide.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • No matter, Luxor is home to some of the world's most impressive and well-preserved ancient monuments.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Norman Silverman, however, remains committed to natural diamonds, particularly rare, high-carat stones.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Protesters in the Albanian capital Tirana, who have been demanding better support for education and the prime minister’s resignation, set fire to dumpsters and threw stones and tear gas canisters.
    — Jonny Hallam, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • But take a walk inside and the ground is laden with faint slabs of rock, gravestones from a centuries-old Indigenous family cemetery that had been obscured by the passage of time and neglect.
    — Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2026
  • According to his guilty plea, Horn used black spray paint to deface 12 gravestones.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Abrams focuses on 18th and 19th century headstones in remote yet picturesque graveyards in Vermont, and her viewers are drawn to her deep dives into the past that also touch on the dark nature of death and spirits.
    — Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • George Horn, 36, of Dundalk, admitted to spray-painting swastikas and other symbols on multiple headstones at Ohr Knesseth Israel Anshe Sfard Cemetery in July 2023.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • When activated, those cells begin clearing away existing amyloid plaques, a process that was associated with reduced plaque buildup and improved cognitive function, the study found.
    — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
  • And in mice with more advanced conditions, with unstable plaques that are more likely to rupture, treatment reduced the plaque size by 52%.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Tombstones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tombstones. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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