as in piles
a small quantity of stones heaped together that usually marks a place
A cairn of loose stones marked the site.
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Recent Examples of cairns
The Park Service recommends that people not disturb, knock down or add to cairns, though some parks caution visitors not to rely on them as official pathways.
—
Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
Above the glacial lake Ullswater, prehistoric cairns and burial mounds dot the high moorland, including the Cockpit Stone Circle, which spans 90 feet.
—Andrea Bussell, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 2025
Found around the perimeter ring, there are six additional cairns.
—Mike Bezemek, Outside, 29 Oct. 2025
Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
Above the glacial lake Ullswater, prehistoric cairns and burial mounds dot the high moorland, including the Cockpit Stone Circle, which spans 90 feet.
—Andrea Bussell, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 2025
Found around the perimeter ring, there are six additional cairns.
—Mike Bezemek, Outside, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cairns
Noun
-
Evergreen has been forced to skip the burning of slash piles this winter because of a lack of snow.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
This comprises 5,468 ultra-fast charging piles, 1,216 800-V ultra-fast charging stations, and 6,269 stations in highway service areas.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Instead of swing sets or seesaws, Noguchi imagined the land itself forming ridges, steps, and mounds that would invite free-form play.—
Terry Nguyen,
ARTnews.com,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Cushion Moss Attractive cushion moss (Leucobryum glaucum) grows in charming clumps or mounds that are sure to stand out in any garden.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
No bags of mulch or stacks of containers; instead, this small, 4-acre nursery is all about unusual plants, including an impressive selection of lilies, hostas, and East Asian woodland species.—
Teresa Woodard,
Midwest Living,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Alternatively, wrap stacks of five tortillas in aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.—
Martha Stewart,
Martha Stewart,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Checking out Bandcamp, though, there are now heaps of new releases from the likes of Robyn and Kneecap!—
Shirl Leigh
April 06,
New Atlas,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Baristas sprinkled shredded phyllo dough over top heaps of cold foam.—
Jenna Thompson
April 1,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cairns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cairns. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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