landmark

noun

land·​mark ˈland-ˌmärk 

1

: an object (such as a stone or tree) that marks the boundary of land

2

a

: a conspicuous object on land that marks a locality

b

: an anatomical structure used as a point of orientation in locating other structures

3

: an event or development that marks a turning point or a stage

4

: a structure (such as a building) of unusual historical and usually aesthetic interest

especially : one that is officially designated and set aside for preservation

Synonyms of landmark

• milestone
• climax
• watershed

Examples of landmark in a Sentence

The Golden Gate Bridge is a famous landmark in San Francisco.

The battlefield is a national historical landmark.

The moon landing is a landmark in space exploration.

The decision was a landmark in legal history.

Recent Examples on the Web

Dozens of urban artists from 17 countries have converged on one of Europe's most important industrial landmarks for a show that takes advantage of the former ironworks' sprawling spaces and aura of abandonment. —ABC News, 9 May 2026

Contemporaries like Lou’s Village, the Bold Knights and Paolo’s are long gone, but the giant sign that has lit up the corner of First and San Carlos streets for seven decades is as much a San Jose landmark as the Bank of Italy tower. —Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 9 May 2026

The phrase also lends its name to a landmark 1992 exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles—one that glaringly did not include Black artists. —Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 8 May 2026

In its second year as organizer of Australian Fashion Week (AFW), the council has swapped industrial venue Carriageworks for the Museum of Contemporary Art, which sits just in front of these very Aussie landmarks. —Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 8 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for landmark

• ballpark
• benchmark
• birthmark
• daymark
• earmark
• embark
• hallmark
• monarch
• postmark
• remark
• skylark
• tetrarch

Kids Definition

landmark

noun

land·​mark ˈlan(d)-ˌmärk 

1

: an object that marks the boundary of land

2

a

: a usually large object on land that is easy to see and can help a person find the way to a place near it

b

: an important building or monument

historical landmarks

3

: an event that marks a turning point

Medical Definition

landmark

noun

land·​mark -ˌmärk 

1

: an anatomical structure used as a point of orientation in locating other structures (as in surgical procedures)

2

: a point on the body or skeleton from which anthropological measurements are taken

Legal Definition

landmark

noun

land·​mark

often attributive

1

: an object (as a stone or tree) that marks a boundary of land

2

: an event or development that marks a turning point or stage

a landmark decision

3

: a structure (as a building) of unusual historical or aesthetic interest

especially : one that is officially designated and set aside for preservation