tombstone

noun

tomb·​stone ˈtüm-ˌstōn How to pronounce tombstone (audio)

Examples of tombstone in a Sentence

the historic cemetery's many tombstones marking the graves of children are telling reminders of the harshness of pioneer life
Recent Examples on the Web Most people there were openly weeping, some breaking down upon seeing Navalny’s portrait on his tombstone, submerged by heaps of roses and carnations. Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2024 The memorial is a reminder, in concrete slabs resembling toppling tombstones, of the millions of Jews murdered in Europe by the Nazis. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Feb. 2024 Men created makeshift tombstones out of rough slabs of concrete to distinguish the graves in the otherwise unmarked area. NBC News, 24 Jan. 2024 Graves and tombstones stand damaged following Israeli attacks near the Nasser Hospital on Wednesday. Yasmine Salam, NBC News, 19 Jan. 2024 And his folks before that also were in the tombstone business. Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2024 The tombstones date to between the eighth and ninth centuries A.D. Archaeologists also excavated part of a former gate in the city and found the remains of a moat dating to the 18th century. Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2024 Thank god for the local cemetery, where Lisa can pass her days stenciling the names of the dead and polishing tombstones. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2024 His tombstone is small and easy to overlook, and his story remains mostly untold. Amy Brady, Discover Magazine, 2 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tombstone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tombstone was in 1565

Dictionary Entries Near tombstone

tomboyful

tombstone

Tombstone

Cite this Entry

“Tombstone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tombstone. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tombstone

noun
tomb·​stone ˈtüm-ˌstōn How to pronounce tombstone (audio)

Geographical Definition

Tombstone

geographical name

Tomb·​stone ˈtüm-ˌstōn How to pronounce Tombstone (audio)
city in the southeastern corner of Arizona population 1380

Note: Tombstone was site of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral in 1881.

More from Merriam-Webster on tombstone

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