me·mo·ri·al
mə-ˈmȯr-ē-əl 
1
: serving to preserve remembrance : commemorative
2
: of or relating to memory
1
2
b
: memorandum, note
specifically
: a legal abstract
c
: a statement of facts addressed to a government and often accompanied by a petition or remonstrance
Examples of memorial in a Sentence
Adjective
a memorial plaque on the bridge for a diver who died in the line of duty
Noun
the Vietnam War Memorial is a starkly beautiful testimonial to the bravery of the soldiers who served in Vietnam
Recent Examples on the Web
Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
Scores of world leaders attended the memorial service in St. Peter’s Square, from President Trump and former President Biden to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to French President Emmanuel Macron, among others.
—The Hill Staff, The Hill, 26 Apr. 2025
Richard Newby, Time, 28 Apr. 2025
González’s presence and relevance in the school goes beyond simply being a namesake or having a memorial in the office with his uniform, military flag and certificates of recognition.
—Amanda Jackson, CNN Money, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for memorial
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Adjective
His memorial service is set for Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET), and his body will be buried at Rome's Basilica of Saint Mary Major in a simple wooden casket, per his request.
—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
Scores of world leaders attended the memorial service in St. Peter’s Square, from President Trump and former President Biden to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to French President Emmanuel Macron, among others.
—The Hill Staff, The Hill, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
Those are the stakes of Supermassive Games’ Until Dawn (2015), an interactive horror survival video game in which players take control of eight friends who become stranded at a cabin on Blackwood Mountain during a memorial for their friend’s death and must survive myriad terrors…until dawn.
—Richard Newby, Time, 28 Apr. 2025
González’s presence and relevance in the school goes beyond simply being a namesake or having a memorial in the office with his uniform, military flag and certificates of recognition.
—Amanda Jackson, CNN Money, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for memorial
Cite this Entry
“Memorial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/memorial. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
memorial
1 of 2 adjective
me·mo·ri·al
mə-ˈmōr-ē-əl
-ˈmȯr-
: serving to preserve the memory of a person or an event
a memorial service
memorial
2 of 2 noun
: something that keeps alive the memory of a person or event
especially
: monument sense 1
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