as in pile
a small quantity of stones heaped together that usually marks a place
A cairn of loose stones marked the site.
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 cairn
Inside every cairn, the team unearthed countless human and animal bones, often fragmented.
—
Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2025
The bones excavated at the site were returned to King William Island in 1994 and interred in a memorial cairn.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 11 Oct. 2024
Ranger died in 1940 and was buried at the summit of Mount Hood, which is marked by a stone cairn and an engraved plaque.
—Meira Gebel, Axios, 20 Sep. 2024
The trail can be confusing so keep an eye open for cairns and tree notches serving as trail markers.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 18 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for cairn
Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2025
The bones excavated at the site were returned to King William Island in 1994 and interred in a memorial cairn.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 11 Oct. 2024
Ranger died in 1940 and was buried at the summit of Mount Hood, which is marked by a stone cairn and an engraved plaque.
—Meira Gebel, Axios, 20 Sep. 2024
The trail can be confusing so keep an eye open for cairns and tree notches serving as trail markers.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 18 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for cairn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cairn
Noun
-
Imagine spending $3,000 on Nvidia’s latest GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card only to unbox a pile of backpacks instead.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
30 May 2025
-
And another with Putin’s head on top of a pile of poop.—
Laura Kelly,
The Hill,
29 May 2025
Noun
-
The rule, adopted before the 2020 season but not implemented until this year due to the upheavals caused by the coronavirus pandemic, states that a team cannot use a position player on the mound unless there is a difference of six or more runs between the two teams.—
Houston Mitchell,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2025
-
If all turns out well, Kirby is scheduled to be back on the mound on Sunday, June 8 against the Los Angeles Angels.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
4 June 2025
Noun
-
The unknowns in stacks of worms As the next step, Perez said her team would like to learn whether the formation of these structures is a cooperative or competitive behavior.—
Kameryn Griesser,
CNN Money,
5 June 2025
-
The heavy stacks of cash fit into a pattern emerging throughout the trial as prosecutors attempt to paint Combs as a man spoiled by success, able to hide a tendency for abuse and criminality through a large staff and an ever-larger fortune.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
4 June 2025
Noun
-
It’s also got a wealth of signature natural wonders to show off, from the mountains to the sea, just as the Paris Games featured the Eiffel Tower and the magical evening skyline.—
Steve Lopez,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2025
-
Standing atop the ruins of the palace at Knossos, I’m surrounded by semi-arid, wooded mountains that envelop this complicated maze.—
Bruce Dorminey,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cairn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cairn. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share