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
At the time, disability law experts worried that if successful, the lawsuit could topple one of the legal cornerstones of disability rights in the United States.
—
O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 2 Jan. 2026
The cornerstones of the collection are curves and arched silhouettes, seen primarily in bookcases, cabinets, and tables.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Dec. 2025
Other cornerstones of the week, such as Louis Vuitton, Junya Watanabe and Comme des Garçons, will take up their usual times on the schedule.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 18 Dec. 2025
Raime were early cornerstones of Blackest Ever Black, a goth-hearted label that had cast a seductive shadow over the 2010s underground, but the duo had recently pivoted to weightless grime.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 16 Dec. 2025
In Boulder, Thompson said, the school district considers communication and education cornerstones of safety.
—Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2025
Now, in Cease and Trey Yesavage, two new long-term cornerstones.
—Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025
These are the cornerstones of my workout, emphasizing functional strength for life.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 23 Nov. 2025
Because their season was an overwhelming disappointment that saw many of their offensive cornerstones underperform and many of their pitching shortcuts came back to bite them.
—Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 2 Jan. 2026
The cornerstones of the collection are curves and arched silhouettes, seen primarily in bookcases, cabinets, and tables.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Dec. 2025
Other cornerstones of the week, such as Louis Vuitton, Junya Watanabe and Comme des Garçons, will take up their usual times on the schedule.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 18 Dec. 2025
Raime were early cornerstones of Blackest Ever Black, a goth-hearted label that had cast a seductive shadow over the 2010s underground, but the duo had recently pivoted to weightless grime.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 16 Dec. 2025
In Boulder, Thompson said, the school district considers communication and education cornerstones of safety.
—Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2025
Now, in Cease and Trey Yesavage, two new long-term cornerstones.
—Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025
These are the cornerstones of my workout, emphasizing functional strength for life.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 23 Nov. 2025
Because their season was an overwhelming disappointment that saw many of their offensive cornerstones underperform and many of their pitching shortcuts came back to bite them.
—Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cornerstones
Noun
-
This is a year of building and construction to create solid foundations in your life, both physically and internally.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
6 Jan. 2026
-
When money donated to charity through intermediaries primarily went to foundations, those assets were subject to a 5% payout rule.—
Ray Madoff,
The Conversation,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Better yet, those bedrocks are as plentiful as ever.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Nov. 2025
-
The bedrocks of healthy behavior are your biggest assets for staying disease-free.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cornerstones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cornerstones. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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