burial

noun

ˈber-ē-əl How to pronounce burial (audio)
Definition of burialnext
1
as in funeral
the act or ceremony of putting a dead body in its final resting place the children wanted to give the dead bird a proper burial in the backyard

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tomb
a final resting place for a dead person archaeologically significant artifacts, such as stone tools, have been discovered in Neanderthal burials

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 burial Don’t be — instead weep at the devastating death of their best friend JJ and a long, difficult burial in a faraway land. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026 Arlington National Cemetery told USA TODAY the burial is expected to take place later this fall, though a specific date has not yet been announced. — Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026 Such artifacts were increasingly more dispersed in later burial stages. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026 Many residents’ anger is caused by misinformation about the virus and bans on traditional burials — when families prepare the bodies and people gather for a funeral, which can lead to further infections. — ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for burial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burial
  1. funeral
  2. tomb
  3. interment
  4. grave
  5. entombment
  6. cemetery
  7. burying
Noun
  • Matheson was a married father of four who lived in Utah, according to a GoFundMe page created to raise money for funeral costs and other expenses.
    — Tony Marrero, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Five people are facing charges after a traffic stop following a funeral in Boynton Beach, as new video raises questions about the force used during the arrests.
    — Paige Meyer, Sun Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of funeral
Noun
  • In fact, 58 people were present when King Tut’s tomb was opened, and only eight died within 12 years.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026
  • All three will face a slew of charges, including injuring or removing a tomb or monument, disturbing the contents of a grave or tomb and grand theft, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday.
    — Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of tomb
Noun
  • In their home state, dates of observation extend through the day of interment.
    — Sarah Linn, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
  • Cremation and interment services are being handled by Chapel Lawn Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens.
    — Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 3 June 2026
Definition of interment
Noun
  • Ytre Norskøya contains graves and remains of blubber ovens from the early whaling era.
    — Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • In one southern Nepali district — Chitwan — authorities will resort to burying hundreds of unidentified bodies in a mass grave, local police told CNN.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of grave
Noun
  • The snow eventually hardens like a concrete entombment.
    — Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
  • City and county governments set local rules covering burials, inurnments, entombments and the upkeep of cemeteries, mausoleums and columbariums, according to state law.
    — Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 31 Oct. 2025
Definition of entombment
Noun
  • For King, The American Legion volunteers’ clean-up efforts honored the veterans buried at the cemetery and showed him those individuals have not been forgotten.
    — Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The cemetery Zosia was found in no longer exists on any maps, nor is it referenced in historical records.
    — Mike McRae August 25, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of cemetery
Noun
  • One such detail is the prospect of a Gallagher-brothers-style burying of the hatchet for Harry and Prince William.
    — Jamie Timson, TheWeek, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Eaton wildfire survivors’ anger about Southern California Edison’s burying of electric wires in Altadena boiled over Tuesday with residents calling on government officials to temporarily halt the work.
    — Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Definition of burying

Browse Nearby Words

burgs
burial
burials
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Cite this Entry

“Burial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burial. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on burial

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about burial

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