What does "memorial" mean?
Memory; recollection.
Memorial
/məˈmɔːɹi.əl/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Memory; recollection.
- Grammar: memorial is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: monument, account, adventure, adventures.
- Useful contrasts: forgetful, forgetting, neglect.
- Usage evidence: The governor dedicated the memorial to the soldiers who died in the war.
How to use "memorial"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "memorial" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "memorial" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "memorial" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "memorial" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "memorial" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "monument" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "memorial", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Memory; recollection. obsolete
- 2 a structure erected to commemorate persons or events wordnet
- 3 Something, such as a monument, by which someone or something is remembered.
"These mementoes or memorials [sculptural national monuments], though in the present age the unphilosophical and sciolistic spirit of some have led them to regard with contempt this method of honouring the illustrious great, excite a laudable admiration for the service or benefit to which they testify, and are living realities to perpetuate at once the respect entertained by the nation, both for the individual himself and the performance that has entitled him to their gratitude."
- 4 a written statement of facts submitted in conjunction with a petition to an authority wordnet
- 5 A chronicle or memoir.
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 a recognition of meritorious service wordnet
- 7 A note or memorandum. archaic
- 8 A service of remembrance or commemoration.
- 9 A statement of facts set out in the form of a petition to a person in authority, a court or tribunal, a government, etc.
"Captain Surman […] immediately addressed a memorial to the governor, stating that an act of Providence had sent him into port for the preservation of the lives of those on board; he therefore trusted he should be allowed to refit and depart."
Adjective
- 1 Serving as a remembrance of someone or something; commemorative.
"a memorial building"
- 2 Contained in the memory.
"a memorial possession"
- 3 Mnemonic; assisting the memory. archaic
"This succession of Aspirate, Soft, and Hard, may be expressed by the memorial word ASH."
Antonyms
Example
"The governor dedicated the memorial to the soldiers who died in the war."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "memorial"?
Common synonyms include: monument, account, adventure, adventures, adversaria, aide-memoire.
How do you use "memorial" in a sentence?
The governor dedicated the memorial to the soldiers who died in the war.
How do you pronounce "memorial"?
Pronounced /məˈmɔːɹi.əl/.
Etymology
From Late Latin memoriale, neuter of memorialis. By surface analysis, memory + -ial.