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
With Ogwumike, the No. 1 selection in the 2012 draft, joining the Seattle Storm in free agency, the Sparks are in need of a franchise cornerstone to galvanize the organization that is in danger of getting left behind in the evolving league.
—
Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024
The event spinoff pic is a cornerstone of Paramount’s slate, and hopes to be another win for the innovative horror franchise created by John Krasinski that turned into a major hit after successfully proving that original stories can work on a large, commercial scale.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Apr. 2024
Regular all-company meetings are a cornerstone of NP Digital’s culture, connecting team members from around the world.
—Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
This specific regulation has long been a cornerstone for the IRS in its efforts to regulate these deductions, enforcing a stringent requirement that easements must be designed to last in perpetuity..
—Jessica Ledingham, J.d., Ll.m., Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
After a decade-long absence, Jumbo, a cornerstone of Latin alternative rock, are making their return to the U.S. stage, joining forces with genre peers División Minúscula.
—Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 28 Mar. 2024
The man also known as Dwayne Johnson returned to his roots in the wrestling ring, aligning with WWE cornerstone and his real life cousin, Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
—Shaheem Reid, Variety, 7 Apr. 2024
Trump has vowed to pardon the rioters and made the attack a cornerstone of his campaign.
—Jonathan J. Cooper, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
And those wind projects are only the cornerstone in Lundstorm’s vision of a much bigger energy company.
—Justin Worland, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024
The event spinoff pic is a cornerstone of Paramount’s slate, and hopes to be another win for the innovative horror franchise created by John Krasinski that turned into a major hit after successfully proving that original stories can work on a large, commercial scale.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Apr. 2024
Regular all-company meetings are a cornerstone of NP Digital’s culture, connecting team members from around the world.
—Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
This specific regulation has long been a cornerstone for the IRS in its efforts to regulate these deductions, enforcing a stringent requirement that easements must be designed to last in perpetuity..
—Jessica Ledingham, J.d., Ll.m., Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
After a decade-long absence, Jumbo, a cornerstone of Latin alternative rock, are making their return to the U.S. stage, joining forces with genre peers División Minúscula.
—Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 28 Mar. 2024
The man also known as Dwayne Johnson returned to his roots in the wrestling ring, aligning with WWE cornerstone and his real life cousin, Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
—Shaheem Reid, Variety, 7 Apr. 2024
Trump has vowed to pardon the rioters and made the attack a cornerstone of his campaign.
—Jonathan J. Cooper, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
And those wind projects are only the cornerstone in Lundstorm’s vision of a much bigger energy company.
—Justin Worland, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cornerstone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near cornerstone
Cite this Entry
“Cornerstone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cornerstone. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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
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