bury

verb

ˈber-ē How to pronounce bury (audio)
Definition of burynext
1
as in to inter
to place (a dead body) in the earth, a tomb, or the sea he died on Tuesday and was buried on Friday

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to conceal
to put into a hiding place buried his face in his hands as his wife recounted the embarrassing incident

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to overcome
to defeat by a large margin if we don't work harder, the other softball team will bury us

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word bury distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of bury are conceal, hide, screen, and secrete. While all these words mean "to withhold or withdraw from sight," bury implies covering up so as to hide completely.

buried the treasure

When would conceal be a good substitute for bury?

The meanings of conceal and bury largely overlap; however, conceal usually does imply intent and often specifically implies a refusal to divulge.

concealed the weapon

Where would hide be a reasonable alternative to bury?

The synonyms hide and bury are sometimes interchangeable, but hide may or may not suggest intent.

hide in the closet
a house hidden in the woods

When might screen be a better fit than bury?

While the synonyms screen and bury are close in meaning, screen implies an interposing of something that prevents discovery.

a house screened by trees

When is it sensible to use secrete instead of bury?

The words secrete and bury can be used in similar contexts, but secrete suggests a depositing in a place unknown to others.

secreted the amulet inside his shirt

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bury Abenante-Villa’s parents buried him with gifts, including a basketball jersey and sports cards. — Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 The next night her aunt had a vivid dream that Mary had been buried alive. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026 California does not have a single statewide law specifically prohibiting pet owners from burying domestic animals in their backyards. — Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026 The coins were originally buried together in a container made of organic material that has since decomposed, archaeologists believe. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bury
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bury
  1. inter
  2. conceal
  3. overcome
  4. hide
  5. throw
  6. lay
  7. smother
  8. tomb
Verb
  • The spores inside him are alive and well and ready to spread should his unpreserved body be interred in the soil.
    — Susanne Rust Follow, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Following the service, the King will be interred in the Royal Mausoleum at Akershus Fortress, alongside the late King Haakon VII, Queen Maud, King Olav V & Crown Princess Märtha.
    — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of inter
Verb
  • The Symptoms Women Work to Hide Sweating, hot flashes and brain fog are among the symptoms women most often try to conceal, according to the Womea survey.
    — Jo Ann Liguori, Flow Space, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The gloom was useful for masking scavenging activities and for concealing one’s identity.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of conceal
Verb
  • Experts who are part of consultations expect the new policy to lay down clear and consistent rules, which will also help the industry overcome challenges around land acquisition and simplify a fragmented approval process.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The song addresses overcoming adversity and using others’ doubts to fuel your passion.
    — Melinda Newman, Billboard, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of overcome
Verb
  • His inclusion changes the historical record — and adds a dimension to the story of Jewish contributions to the game that has long been hiding in plain sight.
    — Zachary Kranc, Sun Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The forthcoming exercise best examines where the Chiefs sit, at 5-1 with the most difficult part of their schedule waiting — because the best teams are not just about maximizing their strengths but hiding their flaws.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of hide
Verb
  • Charlotte also turned the ball over on its first possession of the second half when Naz Reid (a game-high seven turnovers, but also a team-high 17 points) threw it away.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Just over a week before Wicker began filming in Hungary, costume designers András Dániel Tóth and Attila Godena-Juhász, who work together as András + Attila, were thrown one big curveball.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of throw
Verb
  • Not to mention the loss of face this suspension would cause his father, who also worked for the Kuomintang and who’d laid his ministerial connections on the line to make his son’s American education possible.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Children’s Mercy didn’t explicitly lay the blame on a failure to expand Medicaid or the expiration of premium tax credits in the One Big Beautiful Bill.
    — Jack Harvel October 25, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of lay
Verb
  • The Bucs have so far smothered the Panthers' offense and evidence of that was Al-Quadin Muhammad's strip-sack of Carolina quarterback Bryce Young.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • But crisp tortilla layers arrived smothered with vegan cheddar and fresh, vine-ripe tomatoes.
    — Amanda Eyre Ward, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of smother
Verb
  • The bed resists public-facing things, hence its charge as a womb to tomb motif.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
  • Highlights include the Pyramid of Djoser or Step Pyramid—the world’s oldest pyramid—and the Mastaba of Ti tomb.
    — Nada El Sawy, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Nov. 2023
Definition of tomb

Browse Nearby Words

bursts (in or into)
bury
burying
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bury.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bury. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bury

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