cornerstone
noun
cor·ner·stone
ˈkȯr-nər-ˌstōn 
1
: a stone forming a part of a corner or angle in a wall
specifically
: such a stone laid at a formal ceremony
2
: a basic element : foundation
a cornerstone of foreign policy
Synonyms
Examples of cornerstone in a Sentence
Officials held a ceremony to lay the cornerstone for a new library.
Trust is the cornerstone of their relationship.
Recent Examples on the Web
Since its debut in 1995, the Vans Warped Tour has been a cornerstone of alternative music culture, launching the careers of acts like Paramore, Blink-182, and My Chemical Romance, and providing a stage for countless others.
—
Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 28 Jan. 2025
The trucking industry is a cornerstone of the global economy, moving goods that sustain our businesses and communities.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 28 Jan. 2025
The latest venture of hospitality cornerstones Gilbert and Thierry Costes, L’Aventure packs a restaurant, a nightclub and soon a 15-room, five-star hotel in an elegant Haussmann-style building that boasts the Arc de Triomphe as a neighbor.
—Lily Templeton, WWD, 27 Jan. 2025
And he got beat because Trump's tariff threats, a cornerstone of his America First policy platform, worked.
—Kenneth Rapoza, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for cornerstone 
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.
Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 28 Jan. 2025
The trucking industry is a cornerstone of the global economy, moving goods that sustain our businesses and communities.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 28 Jan. 2025
The latest venture of hospitality cornerstones Gilbert and Thierry Costes, L’Aventure packs a restaurant, a nightclub and soon a 15-room, five-star hotel in an elegant Haussmann-style building that boasts the Arc de Triomphe as a neighbor.
—Lily Templeton, WWD, 27 Jan. 2025
And he got beat because Trump's tariff threats, a cornerstone of his America First policy platform, worked.
—Kenneth Rapoza, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for cornerstone
Dictionary Entries Near cornerstone
Cite this Entry
“Cornerstone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cornerstone. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cornerstone
noun
cor·ner·stone
ˈkȯr-nər-ˌstōn
1
: a stone forming part of a corner in a wall
2
: something of basic importance
the cornerstone of our foreign policy
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share