cornerstone
noun
cor·ner·stone
ˈkȯr-nər-ˌstōn 
1
: a stone forming a part of a corner or angle in a wall
specifically
: such a stone laid at a formal ceremony
2
: a basic element : foundation
a cornerstone of foreign policy
Examples of cornerstone in a Sentence
Officials held a ceremony to lay the cornerstone for a new library.
Trust is the cornerstone of their relationship.
Recent Examples on the Web
According to an investigation done by the Wall Street Journal, Meta with its 3 billion users is increasingly a cornerstone of the internet fraud economy.
—
Steve Weisman, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
Our commitment is to ensure that Balboa Park remains accessible to everyone, regardless of their economic standing, and free parking is a cornerstone of that commitment.
—Jessica Hanson York, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 June 2025
The winter witnessed them trade their best player before allowing a franchise cornerstone to sign elsewhere.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 18 June 2025
Members of the congregation placed important documents and the history of the church in a copper box embedded in the cornerstone, though only a few of the charter members who organized the congregation in 1858 were living and present at the ceremony, historical documents said.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cornerstone
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Steve Weisman, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
Our commitment is to ensure that Balboa Park remains accessible to everyone, regardless of their economic standing, and free parking is a cornerstone of that commitment.
—Jessica Hanson York, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 June 2025
The winter witnessed them trade their best player before allowing a franchise cornerstone to sign elsewhere.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 18 June 2025
Members of the congregation placed important documents and the history of the church in a copper box embedded in the cornerstone, though only a few of the charter members who organized the congregation in 1858 were living and present at the ceremony, historical documents said.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cornerstone
Cite this Entry
“Cornerstone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cornerstone. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cornerstone
noun
cor·ner·stone
ˈkȯr-nər-ˌstōn
1
: a stone forming part of a corner in a wall
2
: something of basic importance
the cornerstone of our foreign policy
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share