catacombs

noun

plural of catacomb
as in tomb
an underground burial chamber explored the catacombs looking for evidence about burial customs of that ancient society

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 catacombs But passing motorists largely knew nothing of the collection of handmade replica of catacombs, Biblical scenes and Israelite villages beneath it. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2026 Avedon, whose work and career had a big influence on Hujar early on, had produced a series of images of the Palermo catacombs in 1959. — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 17 July 2026 The monastery includes a massive network of underground catacombs, which contain the bodies of early Slavic saints, and is one of the most sacred locations in Eastern Orthodox Christianity and a symbol of the country’s cultural and spiritual heritage. — News Desk, Artforum, 15 June 2026 Don't let the name Wind Cave National Park lull you into thinking only of the dark and mysterious catacombs of the cave. — Robert Annis, Midwest Living, 14 May 2026 Legend has it that these relics are the remains of martyrs from the early days of Christianity in Rome that were discovered in the 16th century in unmarked graves in the city's catacombs. — ABC News, 8 May 2026 Players explore the environment using a slew of weapons and magic spells in hidden dungeons, caves, catacombs and more. — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026 The Mummy is set up with the grace of Boris Karloff lumping around the catacombs. — Gregory Nussen, Deadline, 16 Apr. 2026 His only book, Portraits in Life and Death (1976), juxtaposed photos of people in his circle and with images of ancient corpses in the Palermo catacombs. — Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catacombs
  1. tomb
  2. vault
  3. crypt
Noun
  • This incredible necropolis is home to the tombs of the pharaohs and is a testament to the advanced engineering and architectural skills of the ancient Egyptians.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 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
Definition of tomb
Noun
  • Kaylia Nemour of Algeria recovered from a misstep on vault in the all-around finals on Friday that cost her a medal to easily defend her gold on uneven bars.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Thankfully, Brian and Murtagh find their way to the vault just as the water is reaching the top and, using all of their strength, pry the lid open.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of vault
Noun
  • Both in the opera and by contemporary accounts, Abraham entered his son’s crypt and had the casket opened on multiple occasions in the days after Willie died.
    — Neal Goren, Air Mail, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The grandiose panic room where Kate and Hal are locked down after the shooting was filmed in the crypt of a church on the Upper West Side.
    — Emily Zemler, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of crypt

Browse Nearby Words

catacomb
catacombs
catalog
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All