as in cemetery
a piece of land used for burying the dead
criminals and unidentified people are sometimes buried in a potter's field
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of potter's field
According to a 1951 Milwaukee Journal article, the potter's field was the burial site of many victims of the city's 1849-1850 cholera epidemic, which was estimated to have killed as many as 700 of the city's then-20,000 residents.
—
Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 11 Oct. 2024
The island is not only the largest potter's field in the U.S., but it is also believed to be the single largest AIDS burial site, according to the NYC Parks Department.
—Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 1 Dec. 2023
The family lived down the street from the potter's field where the boy was first buried, and placed flowers there on holidays.
—Maryclaire Dale, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2023
Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 11 Oct. 2024
The island is not only the largest potter's field in the U.S., but it is also believed to be the single largest AIDS burial site, according to the NYC Parks Department.
—Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 1 Dec. 2023
The family lived down the street from the potter's field where the boy was first buried, and placed flowers there on holidays.
—Maryclaire Dale, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for potter's field
Noun
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They were charged after a 2009 FBI and Cook County sheriff’s office investigation revealed 1,500 bones of at least 29 people sprawled across the grounds at Alsip’s Burr Oak Cemetery — the same cemetery where lynching victim Emmett Till is buried.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
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This meant the city was now solely and fully responsible for the management and maintenance of this historic and active cemetery.—
Robbyn Abbitt,
The Conversation,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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With this, Fennell immediately seems to be leaning into the death cult surrounding the Brontë sisters, who all died young (allegedly from drinking contaminated graveyard water).—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
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The urge to tame big corporate landlords is bubbling over among locals in woodsy Paulding County, Georgia, an Atlanta exurb where church steeples and old graveyards punctuate the rolling hills, and an 18-foot fiberglass Wonder Woman waves at drivers.—
Bloomberg,
Oc Register,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Potter's field.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/potter%27s%20field. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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