Synonyms of cornerstone

cornerstone

noun

ˈkȯr-nər-ˌstōn 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• basis
• foundation
• bedrock
• groundwork
• keystone
• justification
• root
• core
• base
• ground
• framework
• underpinning
• premise
• theory
• support
• footing
• focus
• essence
• warp
• warp and woof
• bottom
• infrastructure
• backbone
• center
• assumption
• rationale
• heart
• shore
• substratum
• mount
• bed
• thesis
• presumption
• kernel
• prop
• anchorage
• warrant
• substructure
• bulwark
• nucleus
• hub
• stay
• brace
• buttress
• presupposition
• supposition
• touchstone
• seat
• soul
• eye
• quintessence

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of cornerstone

Classic blue jeans remained a cornerstone, with true blues standing out at Kallmeyer and Dries Van Noten. — Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 5 Aug. 2026

Wagner led the work at the downtown Margravial Opera House after the Bayreuth cornerstone ceremony in 1872 and it has been repeated on special occasions, such as the 1951 resumption after World War II. — ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026

But the decision has sparked intense pushback from Ballantyne residents who view the Morrison branch as a vital community cornerstone. — Charlotte Observer, 4 Aug. 2026

As my research into the history of philanthropy shows, disestablishment was not just a cornerstone of American democracy. — Thomas Adam, The Conversation, 4 Aug. 2026