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
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
If a sultry aesthetic is a cornerstone of some hosts’ visual narrative, things are a bit different for Melyssa Ford, who spent the earliest parts of her media career as the standard of beauty in hip-hop culture.
—
Essence, 28 Mar. 2025
By signing him to a long-term contract extension, the Jays would have an obvious franchise cornerstone to build around for years to come.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
These advancements facilitate the integration of complex automation capabilities into a wide range of applications, reinforcing the role of intelligent agents as a cornerstone of next-generation digital ecosystems.
—Egor Pushkin, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
The Foundation Of Success The cornerstone of a remarkable year lies in the deliberate crafting of your goals.
—Brian Bartes, Forbes, 25 Mar. 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.
Essence, 28 Mar. 2025
By signing him to a long-term contract extension, the Jays would have an obvious franchise cornerstone to build around for years to come.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
These advancements facilitate the integration of complex automation capabilities into a wide range of applications, reinforcing the role of intelligent agents as a cornerstone of next-generation digital ecosystems.
—Egor Pushkin, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
The Foundation Of Success The cornerstone of a remarkable year lies in the deliberate crafting of your goals.
—Brian Bartes, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cornerstone
Cite this Entry
“Cornerstone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cornerstone. Accessed 3 Apr. 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