headstone

noun

head·​stone ˈhed-ˌstōn How to pronounce headstone (audio)
Synonyms of headstonenext
: a memorial stone at the head of a grave

Synonyms of headstone

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Examples of headstone in a Sentence

many of the headstones were for children who had died during the influenza epidemic
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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.
Naomi Odessa Miller-Dawson’s headstone is outfitted with a recipe book open to her famous spritz cookies atop her epitaph in Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery. — Jessi Roti, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026 Church officials say the new burial plots would be designed to blend into the landscape, with flat, ground-level markers rather than traditional upright headstones. — Jennifer McLogan, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 After thirty minutes of searching, Kossmann waved us over to the pinkish headstone of Emma Jane Byrd Young. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026 Surnames like McKenzie, Adams and Scribner make frequent appearances on headstones at the roughly 600-grave cemetery, which is still allows burials of descendants of the town or people who live nearby. — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 6 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for headstone

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of headstone was in the 15th century

Rhymes for headstone

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Browse Nearby Words

headstock
headstone
headstream
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Cite this Entry

“Headstone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/headstone. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

headstone

noun
head·​stone -ˌstōn How to pronounce headstone (audio)
: a memorial stone placed at the head of a grave
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