Memorial Day
Fallen soldiers' holiday
Memorial Day is a U.S. federal holiday on the last Monday of May, honoring military personnel who died in service.
Originally called Decoration Day for the practice of decorating soldiers' graves, it evolved from Civil War commemorations.
The holiday marks the unofficial start of summer: We're having a cookout for Memorial Day.
Formal event marking occasions
- paradeCeremonial public procession
- wreathDecorative foliage circle
- flagCloth symbol or signal
- half-staffLowered flag position
moment of silence · national · federal · Monday · May · tradition · Waterloo · Decoration Day
Having dropped down
- tributeOffering of respect
- commemorationAct of honoring memory
- honorHigh regard, moral dignity
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
cemetery · Arlington · headstone · grave · monument · eulogy · gold star · names
Cloth symbol or signal
- stars and stripesFlag's visual elements
- anthemOfficial song of praise
- allegianceLoyalty owed to authority
- freedomAbsence of constraint
liberty · nation · country · American · democracy · unity · pride · citizenship
End-of-week rest days
- barbecueSlow-cook over coals
- picnicOutdoor casual meal
- cookoutOutdoor meal over flames
- gatheringCollection of people meeting
family · vacation · travel · beach · camping · pool · outdoors · holiday
Armed forces member
- veteranExperienced former soldier
- armed forcesNation's combined military services
- killed in actionDied during combat operations
- war deadMilitary personnel killed fighting
combat · deployment · uniform · dog tags · medal · Purple Heart · battlefield · casualties
ceremony
Formal event marking occasions
half-staff · moment of silence · national · federal · Monday · May · tradition · Waterloo · Decoration Day · rolling thunder
fallen
Having dropped down
- tributeOffering of respect
- commemorationAct of honoring memory
- honorHigh regard, moral dignity
sacrifice · cemetery · Arlington · headstone · grave · monument · eulogy · gold star · names · legacy
flag
Cloth symbol or signal
- stars and stripesFlag's visual elements
- anthemOfficial song of praise
- allegianceLoyalty owed to authority
freedom · liberty · nation · country · American · democracy · unity · pride · citizenship · republic
weekend
End-of-week rest days
gathering · family · vacation · travel · beach · camping · pool · outdoors · holiday · unofficial
soldier
Armed forces member
- veteranExperienced former soldier
- armed forcesNation's combined military services
- killed in actionDied during combat operations
war dead · combat · deployment · uniform · dog tags · medal · Purple Heart · battlefield · casualties · POW
- holidaysChristmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Valentine's Day
- US MilitaryArmy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Pentagon, West Point
- American EventsFourth of July, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Independence Day, Labor Day
- American HolidaysIndependence Day, Fourth of July, July Fourth, Thanksgiving, Veterans Day
- annual eventsanniversary, Christmas, birthday, Easter, Thanksgiving
- Military HolidaysVeterans Day, fallen heroes, veteran, soldiers, armed forces
Memorial DayVeterans Day
Holiday honoring military service
New Year's Eve · Mardi Gras · victory celebration · Independence Day · birthday
Memorial Dayforgetting
Failing to retain memories
amnesia · oblivion · erasure · neglect · indifference
Memorial DayIndependence Day
National sovereignty anniversary
New Year's Eve · Mardi Gras · Fourth of July · celebration · revelry
memorial, remembrance, memorials, memorialize, memorialized, memorializing, memorializes