bier

Definition of biernext
as in coffin
a boxlike container for holding a dead body lifted the bier from its stand and placed it in the hearse for its final journey

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 bier While lying in state, the coffin was placed not on an elevated bier, but facing the pews. Rachel Treisman, NPR, 25 Apr. 2025 Inside the 16th-century basilica, his casket won't be put on an elevated bier—as was the case with past popes—but will just be placed on the main alta, simply facing the pews. Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025 Last year, Francis approved new funeral rites stating his body should be on view in a simple coffin rather than being placed on an elevated bier, per the Associated Press. Kirsty Hatcher, People.com, 22 Apr. 2025 But, under the new funeral structure, the pope will be laid directly into an open coffin, eliminating the use of the bier. Alec Schemmel, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2025 The German microbrewery/restaurant has installed new TVs in its bier hall and at the bar for your viewing pleasure. Sam Allard, Axios, 7 Feb. 2025 The Senate may well have all been murdered on Lucilla’s weird, theater-y funeral bier. Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 22 Nov. 2024 Among the changes, the new rites eliminate the practice of placing the pope on an elevated bier in St. Peter's Basilica for public viewing. Matt Robison, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bier
Noun
  • Putting a nail in the unions’ coffin would reduce its influence in the Democratic Party.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2026
  • Heading into this game, Matthews’ injury felt like the final nail in the coffin on a miserable Leafs season.
    Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Earlier this month, Oseguera was buried in a golden casket with enormous flower wreaths and a large military presence.
    CBS News, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
  • Denise holding a White, blond doll; Lisa and her sister Kimberly growing up; Denise in a casket.
    John Archibald, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The result — from the tunnels carved out by tomb robbers to the trains that run day and night — is a cinematic gift for the senses and specifically, to paraphrase one of the more philosophical characters, about our understanding of time’s ability to both preserve and destroy.
    Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
  • The tomb was right there in front of me.
    Talla Mountjoy, Twin Cities, 11 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bier.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bier. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on bier

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster