Meaning & use
cornerstone
A fundamental element on which something important is based, developed, or built.
See it in a sentence
Trust between the two nations became the cornerstone of the new trade agreement.
Honest communication is the cornerstone of any healthy relationship.
A note on using this word
Cornerstone is used figuratively far more often than literally, describing an idea, value, or policy that everything else depends on.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. noun
A stone set at the corner of a building, often ceremonially, joining two walls at the foundation.
The mayor laid the cornerstone of the new library in a small public ceremony.
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