tomb

1 of 2

noun

ˈtüm How to pronounce tomb (audio)
Synonyms of tombnext
1
a
: an excavation in which a corpse is buried : grave
b
: a place of interment
2
: a house, chamber, or vault for the dead
3
: a building or structure resembling a tomb (as in appearance)
tombless
ˈtüm-ləs How to pronounce tomb (audio)
adjective

tomb

2 of 2

verb

tombed; tombing; tombs

transitive verb

: bury, entomb

Synonyms of tomb

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Noun

Verb

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Examples of tomb in a Sentence

Noun the tomb of Alexander the Great explored the historic graveyard and saw tombs that dated back two centuries Verb Forest Lawn is where many of Tinseltown's immortals are tombed for all eternity.
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Noun
Your tickets include entry to any three tombs of your choice from those open that day, with extra tickets available for the really impressive ones—the spectacular KV17 (Seti I), small but iconic KV62 (Tutankhamun), and KV9 (Ramesses V & VI). — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 22 Oct. 2026 Giulio Dalvit, curator of sculpture at the Frick, said that the exhibition’s five free-standing figures, two tomb monuments, 11 cast reliefs and eight commemorative medals represent a large portion of bronze artworks from 15th-century Siena. — Blake Gopnik, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2026 The historic Winter Palace hotel, where Howard Carter announced the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, is due to reopen in July as the Mandarin Oriental Winter Palace. — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026 His visits to his son’s tomb are accompanied by ghosts stuck in the bardo, or purgatory, who tell their own life stories and encourage both Willie and the President to move on. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tomb

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English tombe, from Anglo-French tumbe, from Late Latin tumba sepulchral mound, from Greek tymbos; perhaps akin to Latin tumēre to be swollen — more at thumb entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tomb was in the 13th century

Rhymes for tomb

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Browse Nearby Words

tomato worm
tomb
tombac
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Cite this Entry

“Tomb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tomb. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tomb

noun
ˈtüm
1
: grave entry 2 sense 1
2
: a house or burial chamber for dead people

More from Merriam-Webster on tomb

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tomb

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