as in piles
a quantity of wood heaped together for burning a dead body
a funeral pyre
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Recent Examples of pyres
In Germany, northeastern France and many parts of Scandinavia and the Baltic, people still build elaborate bonfire pyres to light in the evening and tend long into the night.
—
Thomas A. Dubois,
The Conversation,
17 June 2026
Carcasses of trees are piled up like pyres in one; in another, they are laid flat like a mass grave.
—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
23 Feb. 2026
Varanasi was quite an experience, seeing the funeral pyres.
—
Simon Vozick-Levinson,
Rolling Stone,
16 Feb. 2026
Thomas A. Dubois,
The Conversation,
17 June 2026
Carcasses of trees are piled up like pyres in one; in another, they are laid flat like a mass grave.
—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
23 Feb. 2026
Varanasi was quite an experience, seeing the funeral pyres.
—
Simon Vozick-Levinson,
Rolling Stone,
16 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pyres
Noun
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This could include sniffing around more than usual or barking and growling at odd places like piles of leaves.
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The alternating placements of the piles/objects are very precise, which creates a series of chicanes, indicating they are not intended as obstructions but rather to prevent rapid ingress and egress by any vehicle toward the tunnels.
Noun
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Photos apparently taken by the men themselves show wads of cash on the seat of a car, in a plastic bag and in stacks on the floor of a location in New York.
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Long-life system design Next Hydrogen expects the electrolyzer stacks to operate for approximately 80,000 hours.
Noun
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The coast is dotted with colorful fishing villages, while the region’s interior is made up of rolling green hills and gently sloped vineyards.
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As Genesis 19 continues, Lot and his two daughters take shelter in a cave in the nearby hills.
Noun
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The previous day, a door was ajar and heaps of trash and children’s toys were visible inside.
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These sprawling facilities devour an enormous amount of power, require heaps of water to keep cool, and generate tons of noise, on top of being an eyesore that requires hundreds of acres of land be flattened.
Cite this Entry
“Pyres.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pyres. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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