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
During World War II, Jenkins began selling items like monuments, tombstones, furniture, home appliances, toys and gifts, in addition to their usual music products.
—
Sarah Biegelsen, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2025
Fixed a bug where allied player characters could clip through tombstones when Totem Stella was used.
—Oliver Brandt, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
His people had been in the area since the early nineteenth century, and the tombstones were worn and covered in lichen.
—Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker, 29 Dec. 2024
To avoid legal repercussions, the crew constructed a series of fake foam tombstones to strategically block real ones, complete with fictitious names that jokingly nodded to the cast and crew.
—Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 23 Dec. 2024
Craters and crushed tombstones at the local cemetery speak to the intensity of bombardment.
—Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Dec. 2024
There are lots of tombstones of great tech companies that don’t reinvent themselves.
—Alex Heath, The Verge, 6 Dec. 2024
Put tombstones in flowerbeds, hang spiders from windows, or add a spooky wreath.
—Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Oct. 2024
These can be tombstones cut out of cardboard boxes, using old stockings as spider webs, and getting creative with the leaves and branches in your yard to make festive decorations.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 7 Oct. 2024
Sarah Biegelsen, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2025
Fixed a bug where allied player characters could clip through tombstones when Totem Stella was used.
—Oliver Brandt, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
His people had been in the area since the early nineteenth century, and the tombstones were worn and covered in lichen.
—Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker, 29 Dec. 2024
To avoid legal repercussions, the crew constructed a series of fake foam tombstones to strategically block real ones, complete with fictitious names that jokingly nodded to the cast and crew.
—Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 23 Dec. 2024
Craters and crushed tombstones at the local cemetery speak to the intensity of bombardment.
—Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Dec. 2024
There are lots of tombstones of great tech companies that don’t reinvent themselves.
—Alex Heath, The Verge, 6 Dec. 2024
Put tombstones in flowerbeds, hang spiders from windows, or add a spooky wreath.
—Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Oct. 2024
These can be tombstones cut out of cardboard boxes, using old stockings as spider webs, and getting creative with the leaves and branches in your yard to make festive decorations.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 7 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tombstones
Noun
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That meant bouncing along the halls of capitol hill or along the green near historic monuments.—
Kristin L. Wolfe,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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During World War II, Jenkins began selling items like monuments, tombstones, furniture, home appliances, toys and gifts, in addition to their usual music products.—
Sarah Biegelsen,
Kansas City Star,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
One-of-a-kind statement styles, featuring a rainbow color assortment of the precious sea gems, were sourced in recent travels to Hong Kong and Tokyo, and now set in solid 14K white and yellow gold, were displayed along the classic sterling silver styles, which are dotted with colorful glass stones.—
Roxanne Robinson,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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The blue and orange hues in this fall centerpiece bounce off each other; the yellow stones at the bottom soften the scheme.—
Savanna Bous,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The Gothic spires of Holy Trinity Abbey pierce the drifting clouds, while the Augustinian Friary—a 14th-century monastic retreat founded by the Earls of Kildare—sleeps among yews and whispering gravestones.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
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Services at the gravestones of Henrik Ibsen and Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson are among many that take place before 9am.—
David Nikel,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The sacred land here is peppered with row after row of alabaster white headstones.—
Jim Clash,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Emphasizing creativity, Maria Lee said kids chose a variety of ways to serve from lemonade stands contributing to Texas flood victims, flower deliveries to elderly shut-ins, park cleanups and adding flags to headstones at veterans cemeteries.—
Stuart Dyos,
Nashville Tennessean,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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 22 Sep. 2025.
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