as in pile
a small quantity of stones heaped together that usually marks a place
A cairn of loose stones marked the site.
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of cairn
Young Hopi men traditionally descended the rugged Salt Trail to the Little Colorado and Sípàapuni, contributing rocks to a cairn that still stands along the route and gathering salt to bring home.
—
Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 15 Dec. 2025
Adam picked up a stone to top off each cairn.
—Stephanie Danler, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Nov. 2025
Found around the perimeter ring, there are six additional cairns.
—Mike Bezemek, Outside, 29 Oct. 2025
Stone cairns, serpentine walls, earthen mounds, balance rocks, ancient spring wells, and interesting stone enclosures have been identified as potential early cultural evidence of pre-European native use.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cairn
Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 15 Dec. 2025
Adam picked up a stone to top off each cairn.
—Stephanie Danler, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Nov. 2025
Found around the perimeter ring, there are six additional cairns.
—Mike Bezemek, Outside, 29 Oct. 2025
Stone cairns, serpentine walls, earthen mounds, balance rocks, ancient spring wells, and interesting stone enclosures have been identified as potential early cultural evidence of pre-European native use.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cairn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cairn
Noun
-
If some, over that last 78 years, were able to look away before, where can one look now when rubble piles up in every direction?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
-
America’s emergency pile of crude, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, is rapidly heading toward the lowest level since the early 1980s.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Dodgers left-hander Justin Wrobleski shouted two words — the first of which didn’t appear to be fit for print — and strode off the mound, the icy expression on his face frozen in place all the way to the dugout.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
The inning got out of hand with left-hander Brent Suter on the mound.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
The technology stack comes second.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
-
The marble baths have stacks of oversized towels, impressive waterfall-like pressure in the showers, soaking tubs, and Diptyque toiletries in eco-friendly pump bottles.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Aspen Highlands’ famed 270-acre hike to Highland Bowl delivers some of the best inbound big-mountain skiing in the lower 48.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
Each year, only about 1,000 to 1,200 climbers attempt to summit the mountain, typically during the peak May and June season.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cairn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cairn. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
