as in foundations
an immaterial thing upon which something else rests
a concern for basic human rights was the cornerstone of the president's foreign policy
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Recent Examples of cornerstones
Legendary American underground cartoon artist Robert Crumb will also be honored with a major exhibition in Naples, described in a statement as one the cornerstones of this year’s edition.
—
Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 10 Apr. 2026
Plus, some of the players Colorado is counting on to be cornerstones are off to terrible starts.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
The Mystics have two cornerstones in Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen, both All-Stars as rookies.
—Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Plan a stop in bustling Cebu City to visit the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu and Magellan’s Cross Pavilion—cultural cornerstones that paved the way to the propagation of Christianity as the country’s most dominant religion.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Mar. 2026
Once visited by emperors seeking clarity and samurai tending to battle wounds, these onsen remain cornerstones of Japanese culture.
—Kelsey Eisen, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2026
Anthony Mantha scored two third-period goals to help Pittsburgh — playing without franchise cornerstones Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin — snap a three-game losing streak.
—CBS News, 9 Mar. 2026
What’s more, Seattle parted ways with a quarterback and receiver who for years had been cornerstones of their offense.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
With the addition of productive veterans and, more critically, the growth of cornerstones like Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier, McTavish’s malaise has been easy to overlook.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 2 Mar. 2026
Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 10 Apr. 2026
Plus, some of the players Colorado is counting on to be cornerstones are off to terrible starts.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
The Mystics have two cornerstones in Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen, both All-Stars as rookies.
—Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Plan a stop in bustling Cebu City to visit the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu and Magellan’s Cross Pavilion—cultural cornerstones that paved the way to the propagation of Christianity as the country’s most dominant religion.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Mar. 2026
Once visited by emperors seeking clarity and samurai tending to battle wounds, these onsen remain cornerstones of Japanese culture.
—Kelsey Eisen, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2026
Anthony Mantha scored two third-period goals to help Pittsburgh — playing without franchise cornerstones Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin — snap a three-game losing streak.
—CBS News, 9 Mar. 2026
What’s more, Seattle parted ways with a quarterback and receiver who for years had been cornerstones of their offense.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
With the addition of productive veterans and, more critically, the growth of cornerstones like Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier, McTavish’s malaise has been easy to overlook.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 2 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cornerstones
Noun
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The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Apr. 2026
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The foundations are in place, but the priority now is execution—at speed and at scale.—
Pandu Sjahrir,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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One of the bedrocks of Bednar’s coaching philosophy is breaking the season into 10-game segments.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
3 Apr. 2026
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Better yet, those bedrocks are as plentiful as ever.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cornerstones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cornerstones. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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