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
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.
According to Worthy, Cervantes told her the cemetery had removed the headstone to get her attention because the cemetery had no record of it. — Sara MacHi, CBS News, 29 July 2026 Dollie’s marker revealed dates from 1998 and 1999 after it was carefully leveled and cleaned, while Hollie’s large granite headstone marked July 1977. — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 24 July 2026 In addition to her blog posts, Baldwin has begun hosting tours of Blake Street Cemetery, to share her research, and clean up days to remove weeds and litter from around the headstones. — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2026 Roschelle left their headstone blank, unable to carve her new reality into stone. — Jessica Contrera, New Yorker, 13 July 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 5 Aug. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on headstone

Nglish: Translation of headstone for Spanish Speakers

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