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
Legal education is a cornerstone of MLA’s mission.
—
David Rodriguez Muñoz, Freep.com, 7 Sep. 2025
At just 26 years old, Parsons is going to be a cornerstone piece for the Packers.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
After the snakebitten franchise, famous for losing four straight Super Bowls in the 1990s, finally snapped a miserable 17-season playoff drought in 2017, then drafted franchise cornerstone quarterback Josh Allen, the Bills have been back, baby.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles were cornerstones of the Minnesota Lynx when the franchise won four WNBA titles in seven years.
—Doug Feinberg, Twin Cities, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cornerstone
David Rodriguez Muñoz, Freep.com, 7 Sep. 2025
At just 26 years old, Parsons is going to be a cornerstone piece for the Packers.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
After the snakebitten franchise, famous for losing four straight Super Bowls in the 1990s, finally snapped a miserable 17-season playoff drought in 2017, then drafted franchise cornerstone quarterback Josh Allen, the Bills have been back, baby.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles were cornerstones of the Minnesota Lynx when the franchise won four WNBA titles in seven years.
—Doug Feinberg, Twin Cities, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cornerstone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cornerstone
Noun
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However, amid the confusion of new strains, changing vaccine guidelines and cuts to vaccine development funding, the CDC continues to track cases, hospitalizations and deaths on a weekly basis.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
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So is this a call to get your hsCRP levels checked on a regular basis?—
Sarah Garone,
Health,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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And with the foundation laid, Flowers is eager for the Golden Bulls to make that next leap.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Sep. 2025
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The West Virginia man set up a foundation that built two churches in his home state and gave food, clothing and scholarships to local students, according to a 2020 New York Times obituary.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Johnny Unitas was bedrock establishment.—
Seth Wickersham,
The Atlantic,
8 Sep. 2025
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Independence of monetary policy has long been considered sacrosanct—the bedrock of global confidence in the dollar.—
Dan Perry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cornerstone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cornerstone. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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