bury

verb

ˈber-ē How to pronounce bury (audio)
Definition of burynext
1
as in to inter
to place (a dead body) in the earth, a tomb, or the sea he died on Tuesday and was buried on Friday

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to conceal
to put into a hiding place buried his face in his hands as his wife recounted the embarrassing incident

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to overcome
to defeat by a large margin if we don't work harder, the other softball team will bury us

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word bury distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of bury are conceal, hide, screen, and secrete. While all these words mean "to withhold or withdraw from sight," bury implies covering up so as to hide completely.

buried the treasure

When would conceal be a good substitute for bury?

The meanings of conceal and bury largely overlap; however, conceal usually does imply intent and often specifically implies a refusal to divulge.

concealed the weapon

Where would hide be a reasonable alternative to bury?

The synonyms hide and bury are sometimes interchangeable, but hide may or may not suggest intent.

hide in the closet
a house hidden in the woods

When might screen be a better fit than bury?

While the synonyms screen and bury are close in meaning, screen implies an interposing of something that prevents discovery.

a house screened by trees

When is it sensible to use secrete instead of bury?

The words secrete and bury can be used in similar contexts, but secrete suggests a depositing in a place unknown to others.

secreted the amulet inside his shirt

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 bury Residents have described their terror as great waves of water barreled down valleys, burying people and homes under the mud. — Diaa Hadid, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026 Debris hung from tree branches and wires, vehicles were buried and some stunned survivors were caked in mud. — Niranjan Shrestha, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 In Nepal, images showed roads buried beneath thick layers of mud, homes partially submerged and survivors being carried or transported to safer areas. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026 Billingslea will be buried in Evergreen Cemetery Wednesday morning, relatives said. — Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bury
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bury
  1. inter
  2. conceal
  3. overcome
  4. hide
  5. throw
  6. lay
  7. smother
  8. tomb
Verb
  • According to People, Dean was interred in a mausoleum at the cemetery.
    — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 30 Aug. 2026
  • By comparison, according to the study, the burial robes of King Sigismund III Vasa and Queen Constance of Habsburg, interred around the same time in Kraków in southern Poland, contain not a single pure gold thread.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of inter
Verb
  • Torres was then seen on camera concealing the money inside his black jacket before entering an employee restroom, according to the report.
    — Ana Maria Soler, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026
  • In practical terms, someone deliberately trying to conceal Claude's involvement could simply rewrite the output substantially.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of conceal
Verb
  • The Tar Heels’ ability to overcome some sloppiness — and, yes, take advantage of a slew of TCU mistakes — was a positive intangible sign after Belichick’s brutal debut season and offseason.
    — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • But to overcome 30 years of Republican dominance, Talarico needs votes from everywhere.
    — Eleanor Dearman Updated August 29, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of overcome
Verb
  • The expansion will take players to the brand new realm of Letten — an idyllic land of rural tradition that hides a dark secret just below the surface.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
  • This is nothing more than a desperate attempt to hide his own extremism and Texans will see right through it.
    — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of hide
Verb
  • Pintaro throws a cutter that Houston’s coaching staff thought would match up well with Wade’s swing.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Fletcher and Takeshita threw hands in the middle of the ring to the delight of Wembley Stadium.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of throw
Verb
  • In addition, Autograph Hotels for the second consecutive year will host the festival’s VIP party at the historic Algonquin Hotel, where the New Yorker’s founders gathered to lay the groundwork for the magazine more than a century ago.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Early settlers of the Valley constructed the Salt River's first dams and laid the groundwork for the area's future.
    — Alex Hager, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of lay
Verb
  • To smother the grass, begin by scalping the patch down to the dirt.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The scrutiny at the club is like no other, the media attention can be smothering and the level expected from fans is so high.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of smother
Verb
  • The bed resists public-facing things, hence its charge as a womb to tomb motif.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
  • Highlights include the Pyramid of Djoser or Step Pyramid—the world’s oldest pyramid—and the Mastaba of Ti tomb.
    — Nada El Sawy, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Nov. 2023
Definition of tomb

Browse Nearby Words

bursts (in or into)
bury
burying
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on bury

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bury

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