cremate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to reduce (a dead body) to ashes by fire, especially as a funeral rite.
-
to consume by fire; burn.
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
crematesimple
-
crematessimple
-
have crematedperfect
-
has crematedperfect
-
am crematingprogressive
-
are crematingprogressive
-
is crematingprogressive
-
have been crematingperfect progressive
-
has been crematingperfect progressive
Past
-
crematedsimple
-
had crematedperfect
-
was crematingprogressive
-
were crematingprogressive
-
had been crematingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of cremate
First recorded in 1870–75; from Latin cremātus, past participle of cremāre “to burn to ashes”; see -ate 1
Explanation
When you cremate something, you burn it until only ashes are left. The word cremate is most often used to describe the ceremonial burning of dead bodies. If you burn a grilled cheese sandwich and there is nothing but black ashes left in the pan, you can say you cremated it. Usually, however, people use the verb cremate when they're talking about a practical or ceremonial burning of a body. Many people are cremated after dying, with their ashy remains either buried or scattered in a beautiful place. The Latin root word is cremare, "to burn or consume by fire."
Vocabulary lists containing cremate
The Devil's Arithmetic
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Bridge to Terabithia
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Mockingbird
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Former undertaker Robert Bush admitted 67 offences, including failing to bury and cremate people at Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
The Patel family waited another month before they could cremate her remains, postponing Ashok's last rites so they could be done together.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026
Those who opt to bury or cremate on their own pay a funeral home.
From Slate ● Oct. 3, 2024
She has since ended the contract, she said, and We Care has retrieved the ashes for all the pets it hired her to cremate.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 18, 2024
These cremate their dead; they set apart a separate round house for the trophies of human heads, and in this the bachelors are expected to pass the nights.
From The Pagan Tribes of Borneo by Haddon, Alfred C. (Alfred Cort)
Not to worry, he said, promising to put his new cremates to work: “We’ll catch up next weekend.”
From Washington Post ● May 31, 2020
It’s July 29, 1981, when Patrick cremates his mother—the day, as it happens, that Prince Charles marries Lady Diana Spencer.
From The New Yorker ● Jun. 22, 2018
Nowadays, if you die in Pierce County and you fall into two categories - both indigent and unclaimed - the county cremates your body and disposes of your remains.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 3, 2016
The administrator’s office cremates unidentified migrants instead of burying them — a switch that saves the county roughly $860 a person, said Rosie Blankenship, assistant public administrator for Imperial County.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2016
A woman always embalms the corpse of a dead love; a man wisely cremates it, and plants a new love in the ashes.
From A Guide to Men Being Encore Reflections of a Bachelor Girl by Rowland, Helen
She and her partner, Callum Ellerby, were told their baby was cremated on 10 May 2021.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
In March, Chinese authorities banned entombing cremated remains in empty apartments, a practice that took off as mourners tried to dodge rising funeral costs.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
Authorities were tipped off to the crimes after one of the dog owners told authorities that they received a message from the trainer saying their dog had died in its sleep and was cremated.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
They cremated their dead, spoke the Germanic ancestors of Old English and were pagans.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
All the bodies are cremated before being given a proper medical autopsy.
From "Dead End in Norvelt" by Jack Gantos
When the child died, it is alleged they initially thought of cremating the body in the back garden of their home before contacting a funeral director.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2025
The family has also said Mexican authorities and funeral home representatives have repeatedly suggested cremating Blair’s remains.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 19, 2023
Workers in New Delhi on Tuesday building new platforms for cremating bodies, as the coronavirus takes an increasing toll on the country.Credit...
From New York Times ● Apr. 28, 2021
The steady shift from burying bodies to cremating them has been accelerated by the pandemic, according to funeral directors and industry surveys.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 2, 2021
With this object he ran to the neighbouring village, and, reporting to the people what had occurred on the tope, requested their assistance in cremating the old man’s body.
From Tales of the Sun or Folklore of Southern India by Kingscote, Mrs. Howard
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
