as in pile
a small quantity of stones heaped together that usually marks a place
A cairn of loose stones marked the site.
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Recent Examples of cairn
The Park Service recommends that people not disturb, knock down or add to cairns, though some parks caution visitors not to rely on them as official pathways.
—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
Above the glacial lake Ullswater, prehistoric cairns and burial mounds dot the high moorland, including the Cockpit Stone Circle, which spans 90 feet.
—
Andrea Bussell,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Dec. 2025
Young Hopi men traditionally descended the rugged Salt Trail to the Little Colorado and Sípàapuni, contributing rocks to a cairn that still stands along the route and gathering salt to bring home.
—
Brandon Loomis,
AZCentral.com,
15 Dec. 2025
Adam picked up a stone to top off each cairn.
—
Stephanie Danler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cairn
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
Above the glacial lake Ullswater, prehistoric cairns and burial mounds dot the high moorland, including the Cockpit Stone Circle, which spans 90 feet.
—
Andrea Bussell,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Dec. 2025
Young Hopi men traditionally descended the rugged Salt Trail to the Little Colorado and Sípàapuni, contributing rocks to a cairn that still stands along the route and gathering salt to bring home.
—
Brandon Loomis,
AZCentral.com,
15 Dec. 2025
Adam picked up a stone to top off each cairn.
—
Stephanie Danler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cairn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cairn
Noun
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Many have camped out along the edge of the piles of crushed concrete and rebar, awaiting any word of their relatives.
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But Carron happily pointed to a pile of recycled asphalt that has a different plan.
Noun
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Video from Driscol Rojas, who describes himself as a filmmaker, shows mounds of rubble in Caraballeda.
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But Ohtani has been just as impressive on the mound this year.
Noun
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Despite the teetotaling decision, stacks of beer, including Michelob Ultra, Kona Big Wave, Bud Light and Budweiser sat behind the register as workers informed attendees that alcohol would be sold beginning Thursday.
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This layered gradient manicure stacks graham cracker-hued brown, creamy white, and vibrant lime green polishes to mimic the signature look of a slice of key lime pie.
Noun
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Sometimes finding the right trees can be an adventure, hiking into forests and mountains to find the oldest trees, patriarchs that hold centuries of information.
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And in the agricultural fields, and in the mountain towns, and in the Sahara.
Cite this Entry
“Cairn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cairn. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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