What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
memorial
Example
The city built a memorial to honor the soldiers who died in the war. [memorial: noun]
Example
The family held a memorial service for their loved one who passed away. [memorial: adjective]
Example
The book is a memorial to the author's late father. [memorial: noun]
memorandum
Example
I received a memorandum from my boss about the new project. [memorandum: noun]
Example
The memorandum outlines the company's new policy on remote work. [memorandum: noun]
Example
I took a memorandum of the meeting to share with my team. [memorandum: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Memorandum is more commonly used than memorial in everyday language, especially in professional or business contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between memorial and memorandum?
Memorandum is typically associated with a more formal tone than memorial, which can be used in both formal and informal contexts depending on the situation.