cremate

verb

cre·mate ˈkrē-ˌmāt kri-ˈmāt

cremated; cremating

Synonyms of cremate

: to subject to cremation

especially : to reduce (a dead body) to mostly tiny bits of bones resembling ash through exposure to flame and intense heat followed by pulverization of bone fragments

cremate a dead body

Examples of cremate in a Sentence

He wants to be cremated when he dies.

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Medical examiners typically cremate remains after a certain period of time if they are not claimed, which prevents family members from making an identification at a later time, Hess said. — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026 The villager, whose mother-in-law was killed in the airstrike, said that people fled to a nearby community after cremating bodies of the victims. — Grant Peck, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Smith, who was just months away from turning 102, was cremated without a funeral. — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026 The remains were supposed to be cremated, returned to the donor's family or laid to rest in a cemetery, according to court documents. — Saleen Martin, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cremate

Word History

Etymology

Latin crematus, past participle of cremare to burn up, cremate

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of cremate was in 1874

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

crémant

cremate

cremation

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Cremate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cremate. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

cremate

verb

cre·mate ˈkrē-ˌmāt kri-ˈmāt

cremated; cremating

: to burn (as a dead body) to ashes

cremation

kri-ˈmā-shən

noun

Medical Definition

cremate

transitive verb

cre·mate ˈkrē-ˌmāt kri-ˈ

cremated; cremating

: to subject to cremation

especially : to reduce (a dead body) to mostly tiny bits of bones resembling ash through exposure to flame and intense heat followed by pulverization of bone fragments

cremate

verb

Examples of cremate in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition

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