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tombstones

noun

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 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 The group comprises statue heads, a statue, an inscription, and funerary stelae (tombstones). — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 6 July 2026 The skies are gloomy and overcast, fitting for a trip among the tombstones. — Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2026 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 Workmen are erecting identical marble tombstones. — ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tombstones
  1. monuments
  2. stones
  3. gravestones
  4. headstones
  5. plaques
Noun
  • This is not an argument for retaining Confederate monuments or prohibiting abstract art, but against a double standard.
    — Frank Porcu, New York Daily News, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Buildings drip with embellishments; monuments to the city’s writers, artists and musicians seem to be on every corner, and the public transit system and plentiful taxis made for a fun and easy whistle-stop tour of some of Budapest’s main sites.
    — Lucy Handley, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of monuments
Noun
  • Look for rings with a singular center diamond or gemstone, set without any additional surrounding stones.
    — Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Instead of a uniform application, the stones were placed randomly, including a cluster on her middle finger to accentuate her finger-spanning ring.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of stones
Noun
  • Haunted Mansion props on the parade floats will include the conservatory casket, cryptic gravestones, gargoyle candleholders, watchful busts, haunted armor and stretching room portraits.
    — Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Almost like gravestones etched with the years of a life, they were marked with the diameter of the trees that had once stood there.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of gravestones
Noun
  • Surnames like McKenzie, Adams and Scribner make frequent appearances on headstones at the roughly 600-grave cemetery, which is still allows burials of descendants of the town or people who live nearby.
    — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Others in group were skilled at straightening delicate headstones in a way that prevents damage, said former American Legion Auxiliary National President Lisa Williamson.
    — Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of headstones
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
Definition of plaques

Browse Nearby Words

tombstone
tombstones
tomcat
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Cite this Entry

“Tombstones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tombstones. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

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