as in basis
an immaterial thing upon which something else rests
a concern for basic human rights was the cornerstone of the president's foreign policy
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Recent Examples of cornerstone
Book adaptations have become a cornerstone of Tigelaar’s career, including her three most recent series, all for Hulu.
—
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
Freedom of speech, civil liberties, the rule of law, and human decency are cornerstones of American democracy.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2026
In Minnesota, all of the ideological cornerstones of MAGA have been proved false at once.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
Why not redefine it as simply the clinical operationalization of informed consent, a cornerstone of ethical medical practice?
—Peter M. Sandman, STAT, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cornerstone
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
Freedom of speech, civil liberties, the rule of law, and human decency are cornerstones of American democracy.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2026
In Minnesota, all of the ideological cornerstones of MAGA have been proved false at once.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
Why not redefine it as simply the clinical operationalization of informed consent, a cornerstone of ethical medical practice?
—Peter M. Sandman, STAT, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cornerstone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cornerstone
Noun
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Once completed, the Zhangzhou nuclear power plant will rank among China’s largest nuclear power bases.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
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Bondi and Blanche filed a response arguing that Massie and Khanna do not have a legal basis for the request.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Their rosters almost all include a stable foundation of offensive weapons.—
Gladys Louise Tyler,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
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Using cranes, they will be stacked on the prepared foundation and assembled into an apartment complex that, once wrapped with a facade and landscaped, looks like any other, Peinemann said.—
Heather McRea,
Oc Register,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In general, Poliakoff said, nurses do not believe that the number of resources brought to bear day in and day out is enough to meet the bedrock mandate of providing quality care for patients.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
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The studio, run by Dan Hannon, is located in the heart of Muscle Shoals, the fertile musical bedrock for artists including Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett and the Allman Brothers.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cornerstone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cornerstone. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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