as in basis
an immaterial thing upon which something else rests
a concern for basic human rights was the cornerstone of the president's foreign policy
Synonyms & Similar 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 cornerstone
Founded in 1472 by the Republic of Siena to provide credit to poorer citizens, the Tuscan lender has evolved over more than five centuries into one of Italy's largest banking institutions and a cornerstone of the country's financial system.
—
Anna Matranga, CBS News, 9 June 2026
That began 144 years ago, with the first cornerstone laid in 1882 during the pontificate of Leo's namesake, Pope Leo XIII.
—ABC News, 9 June 2026
The Marlins’ sole Cy Young award winner, is the cornerstone of the pitching staff.
—Miami Herald, 8 June 2026
The dish traces its roots to West Africa and became a cornerstone of African American cooking.
—Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for cornerstone
Anna Matranga, CBS News, 9 June 2026
That began 144 years ago, with the first cornerstone laid in 1882 during the pontificate of Leo's namesake, Pope Leo XIII.
—ABC News, 9 June 2026
The Marlins’ sole Cy Young award winner, is the cornerstone of the pitching staff.
—Miami Herald, 8 June 2026
The dish traces its roots to West Africa and became a cornerstone of African American cooking.
—Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for cornerstone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cornerstone
Noun
-
The 22-year-old right-hander gave up three hits, struck out seven and walked five in his 107-pitch effort, which included a 97-mph fastball to whiff Joey Loperfido with the bases loaded to end the third.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
-
Omnisend has historically offered salary increases on a quarterly basis, so this cadence isn’t new.—
Sage Lazzaro,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Domestic capabilities are the foundation American ingenuity was a genesis for AI, from the invention of the transistor to the development of the transformer, which enables large language models.—
Olivia White,
Time,
29 May 2026
-
Freedom 250 has its own employees, but the foundation provides federal funds and the park service approves the events and reviews their budgets, according to the website.—
Jack Dolan,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
The decision sent shock waves across college sports because bans for gambling are a bedrock rule of the NCAA and in many professional sports.—
Stephen Hawkins,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
-
But in reality, the Falcon 9 rocket is the bedrock of SpaceX’s success today.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cornerstone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cornerstone. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
