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
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of cairn
Most of what remains of the historic General Crook Trail are eroding two tracks, toppled rock cairns, tree blazes, a few telegraph insulators and roadside monuments.
—
Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 18 Apr. 2024
Last year alone, vandals sprayed red paint on trees, rocks and cairns at Acadia National Park; smashed windows and kicked in doors at Mammoth Cave National Park; and damaged the historic church at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2024
Narrow passages lead into these cairns, which hold several tombs.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024
According to the park service, cairns are most commonly used to designate hiking routes.
—Alexandra E. Petri, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2023
See all Example Sentences for cairn 
Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 18 Apr. 2024
Last year alone, vandals sprayed red paint on trees, rocks and cairns at Acadia National Park; smashed windows and kicked in doors at Mammoth Cave National Park; and damaged the historic church at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2024
Narrow passages lead into these cairns, which hold several tombs.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024
According to the park service, cairns are most commonly used to designate hiking routes.
—Alexandra E. Petri, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2023
See all Example Sentences for cairn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cairn
Noun
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There’s a steak on offer, a brawny New York strip, cooked to a perfect medium rare but presented, for some reason, next to a pile of vinegary sautéed red bell peppers, and a saucier of funky, fishy crawfish béarnaise.—
Helen Rosner,
The New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2025
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My 8-year-old pointed out the piles of windblown ash by the curb.—
Katharine Gammon,
The Atlantic,
19 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Kershaw, who underwent knee and foot surgeries this offseason, is not yet throwing off a mound, but has progressed in his throwing program.—
Raul A. Reyes,
Newsweek,
23 Jan. 2025
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At the Olympics, the mound was more there as an aesthetic.—
Matthew Futterman,
The Athletic,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The public doesn’t want impenetrable jargon or a stack of citations.—
Rhea Wessel,
Forbes,
12 Jan. 2025
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Served alongside a stack of still-warm corn tortillas, these tender meatballs were saucy, nutty, earthy, sweet, and unlike any meatball my palate had been lucky enough to experience before.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Once the backcountry skiers were located on the mountain, air support learned two of the three men were injured and could not walk.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2025
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His words resonate against images of the changing face of denuded mountains, pointing up a key theme now more relevant than ever — the cost to nature of man’s progress.—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
27 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Cairn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cairn. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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