cornerstones

noun

plural of cornerstone
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 cornerstones The theme of the evening was family and relationships, the cornerstones of the business for the last century. — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026 The goal on defense is to force more opponents to throw at two cornerstones who keep making plays on the ball. — Nate Atkins, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026 Movie theaters like ours are the economic and cultural cornerstones of communities across this great nation — in all 50 states, in cities and towns, big and small. — Paul Gunsky, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2026 In the 1950s and 1960s, suburban malls were explicitly designed as community cornerstones, complete with bustling food courts, movie theaters, arcades, and a smorgasbord of shops. — Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2026 Released 20 years ago this week, the horror novel by Max Brooks quickly became one of the undisputed cornerstones of walking dead canon. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 10 Sep. 2026 James is one of the Chargers’ four cornerstones along with Mack, Slater and Herbert. — Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 31 Aug. 2026 One of the cornerstones of the Boise State football program is finding underrated talent from across the Gem State and turning those players into starters and even all-conference performers. — Idaho Statesman, 29 Aug. 2026 In the months that followed, the Mets bid farewell to franchise cornerstones Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil and — despite trying to retain him — closer Edwin Diaz. — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 19 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cornerstones
  1. foundations
  2. bedrocks
  3. bases
Noun
  • Dropping two cylinders and losing almost three liters of displacement means there’s no option for shaking a garage on its foundations or setting off car alarms while waiting for a red light.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The fund launched with $27 million, including an initial $10 million donation from the Knight Foundation and support from Pivotal and the Ford, MacArthur, Robert Wood Johnson and Schmidt Family foundations.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of foundations
Noun
  • The costs of health insurance are pushing small businesses — beloved by politicians and the bedrocks of entire communities — to a financial cliff.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 7 July 2026
  • Hillary Rodham Clinton also reflect on the bedrocks of our democracy, including the Electoral College and the peaceful transfer of power.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 24 June 2026
Definition of bedrocks
Noun
  • Security researchers examining a sample found more than 30 million location points, including phones at the White House, the Kremlin and military bases around the world.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The use of GDRs offers a template for exchanges across the continent to expand pan-African trade and broaden their investor bases.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of bases

Browse Nearby Words

cornerstone
cornerstones
cornerways
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Cite this Entry

“Cornerstones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cornerstones. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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