as in piles
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 cairns
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
Found around the perimeter ring, there are six additional cairns.
—Mike Bezemek, Outside, 29 Oct. 2025
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
Found around the perimeter ring, there are six additional cairns.
—Mike Bezemek, Outside, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cairns
Noun
-
On Saturday morning, piles of bricks and mud were all that were left, along with blankets, cooking utensils and other personal belongings salvaged from the rubble and set into a pile.—
Elena Becatoros,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Start with one dedicated space and make piles for keep, toss, and donate.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The soft glow of lanterns against ancient mounds turns a seemingly simple walk into a reflective, cinematic journey through American history.—
Rafael Peña,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Huge snow piles, huge snow mounds.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Seven stacks of tiny paper cups were arranged to the left, next to packets of Nescafé, pouches of two-minute noodles, and a double gas burner connected to the cylinder—the main tool of his trade.—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
During the Catholic holiday of Palm Sunday, hundreds of pajareros from across the country flock to Mexico City and decorate 10-foot-tall stacks of cages, adorning them with bright flowers, tinsel and images of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico’s patron saint.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Baristas sprinkled shredded phyllo dough over top heaps of cold foam.—
Jenna Thompson
April 1,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Preston is an accomplished author with six novels under his belt, and has written heaps for major publications like the NYT, The Guardian, and the Financial Times.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cairns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cairns. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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