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
-
The cold weather alone doesn’t guarantee piles of snow, though.—
Junko Ogura,
CNN Money,
20 Mar. 2026
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More than half of the bulk trash piles were scheduled for collection by a contractor, with fees charged to the property owners.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The soft glow of lanterns against ancient mounds turns a seemingly simple walk into a reflective, cinematic journey through American history.—
Rafael Peña,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Huge snow piles, huge snow mounds.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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At just 918 square feet, the house rejects sprawl entirely—the design stacks, overlaps, and folds in on itself.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Mar. 2026
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Fresh flowers burst explosively out of each cake, swinging jauntily over stacks of vanilla sponges and creamy frostings.—
The Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In other places, buildings were reduced to heaps of wood and metal, with only a few bunk beds still intact in some, while blankets, personal belongings and bedding were strewn about.—
Mohammad Yunus Yawar,
USA Today,
17 Mar. 2026
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Coleman did not mention Vance in his public remarks on March 10, which included heaps of praise on Vance’s boss.—
Joseph Strauss,
Sun Sentinel,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cairns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cairns. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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