gravestone

noun

grave·​stone ˈgrāv-ˌstōn How to pronounce gravestone (audio)
: a burial monument

Examples of gravestone in a Sentence

we love to tour old cemeteries and read the hauntingly poetic inscriptions on the gravestones
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.
Their lives were modest and so were their graves, marked not with expensive granite but with wooden crosses or metal markers in the shape of traditional gravestones. Maria Cramer, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025 Lebanon police were called to Cedar Grove Cemetery on July 16, 2022 on a report of gravestones being pushed over and separated from their bases, according to prosecutors. Andy Humbles, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024 Advertisement The bodies are buried with their heads to the west in three north-south rows, but nearly all of their gravestones have sunk below the surface. Travis Loller, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024 The end of the film sees a gravestone, as the infamous assassin is laid to rest next to his wife. Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gravestone

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gravestone was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gravestone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gravestone. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

gravestone

noun
grave·​stone ˈgrāv-ˌstōn How to pronounce gravestone (audio)
: a burial monument

More from Merriam-Webster on gravestone

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!