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
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Recent Examples of tombstones
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
By day the place was filled with different sorts of tombstones, many of them inside ornamental enclosures.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
People used to come to my hotel and leave tombstones and pictures of dead babies.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2026
Their names are listed in the African American Museum’s exhibit, but not at the cemetery as there are no tombstones left there – except for a few.
—Dallas Morning News, 31 Jan. 2026
Additional excavations could bring answers, Frame communicated, with the team hoping to find alters — tombstones frequently included the units soldiers belonged to.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 6 Jan. 2026
Concrete beams standing in the dirt like tall tombstones.
—Daniel Estrin, NPR, 7 Nov. 2025
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
City News Service, Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
By day the place was filled with different sorts of tombstones, many of them inside ornamental enclosures.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
People used to come to my hotel and leave tombstones and pictures of dead babies.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2026
Their names are listed in the African American Museum’s exhibit, but not at the cemetery as there are no tombstones left there – except for a few.
—Dallas Morning News, 31 Jan. 2026
Additional excavations could bring answers, Frame communicated, with the team hoping to find alters — tombstones frequently included the units soldiers belonged to.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 6 Jan. 2026
Concrete beams standing in the dirt like tall tombstones.
—Daniel Estrin, NPR, 7 Nov. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tombstones
Noun
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In Brunswick, Brunswick Old Town Tours introduces visitors to the Historic District, the Old Town Residential District, and the monuments, buildings, and stories that are unique to this port city.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
1 Mar. 2026
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The bill’s language would exclude celebrations of state and federal holidays or construction and maintenance of national memorials and monuments, which are designated by Congress.—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Foam kneeling pads can make good temporary stepping stones.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Feb. 2026
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The enclosure allows the stones to catch light while maintaining a refined profile.—
Malana VanTayler,
USA Today,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Many gravestones were broken and lay crumbled on the ground.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
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Brothers Keith and Terrence Nicks were found guilty by separate juries of desecration of human remains, removal of human remains and removal of more than 10 gravestones and markers.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Tombstones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tombstones. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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