monument

noun

ˈmän-yə-mənt How to pronounce monument (audio)
Definition of monumentnext
1
as in tombstone
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 Quakers disapproved of monuments, regarding them as idolatrous, so thousands of Nantucketers spend their eternal rest in complete anonymity

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in reminder
something that serves to keep alive the memory of a person or event a moving monument to the great war and a tribute to the untold millions who died in it

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 monument With its extension, the monument will be around for several key dates — Labor Day, the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and Veterans Day. — Mike Stunson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 Public monuments condemning slavery have been removed, and Confederate names have been restored to Army bases. — Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026 The monuments will be preserved by the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, which said in a statement the statues will be relocated to battlefield sites within the Shenandoah Valley. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026 The whole town was a monument to the hometown girl made good. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for monument
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monument
  1. tombstone
  2. reminder
  3. stone
  4. memorial
  5. plaque
Noun
  • King said when individuals were buried on top of one another, the cemetery’s management removed the tombstones and resold the plots.
    — Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 Aug. 2026
  • President Ford once told me, your tombstone should read, here lies the worst source in Washington.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of tombstone
Noun
  • These separate developments serve as yet another reminder of, with a few notable exceptions, how ubiquitous Turkey’s homegrown drones have become in the Middle East and North Africa region in a relatively short period of time.
    — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Your stories are a great reminder of what sports teaches high school students about life.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of reminder
Noun
  • The resulting low-slung structure is clad in understated materials, with a sloping bronze-colored roof, stone chimney, expansive glazing, and teak siding.
    — David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026
  • But the stone is so historically infamous that locals know it as Ínség-szikla—the Rock of Starvation.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of stone
Noun
  • In Ocean Springs, where Nolan lived and first made a name for himself, the focus remained on the high school’s football game unfolding in front of them – no moment of silence, visible memorials, signs, ribbons or public tributes.
    — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The president last attended the 9/11 memorial at the World Trade Center site in 2024, when President Joe Biden was also in attendance months before the 2024 presidential election.
    — Joey Garrison, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of memorial
Noun
  • The site is marked with a plaque featuring both Parton and Dean’s names.
    — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The local park had a plaque saying that Dolly built it for the kids to play.
    — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of plaque

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monument
monumental
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on monument

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about monument

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