bannister
noun
ban·nis·ter
less common spelling of banister
1
a
: a handrail with its supporting posts
b
: handrail
2
Examples of bannister in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Visually, the scene recreates most of the composition and blocking of the game cutscene, from the design on Joel’s mug to the timing of when Ellie nervously thumps the porch bannister.
—
Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 20 May 2025
Kidman’s stairs are shrouded in fog, slicked with ice, seemingly steep, and have dangerous polar-mushrooms sprouting from the bannisters.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 29 Apr. 2025
For the rest of the short teaser, Lord and Lady Grantham (Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern) are shown walking around the grounds of the estate, touching bannisters and stone pillars with an air of finality.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 3 Apr. 2025
The other children holding on to the bannisters, and my brother Franz standing at the door, pleading for peace with the German word Frieden.
—Hugo Hamilton, The New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2024
Kravitz approaches her and climbs up on the bannister, before lifting her up and giving her a huge hug.
—Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 8 July 2024
At least this fire escape was a proper stairway, with a bannister to hold on to, and not just one of those ladders attached to a wall.
—Tessa Hadley, The New Yorker, 23 June 2024
Ute leader Black Hawk went to the school, The Salt Lake Tribune reported, and initially denied permission to take his children home, threw a teacher over a bannister.
—Sheila McCann, The Salt Lake Tribune, 15 July 2023
Once Lee came back with a drawing, which had been accepted, of a cat perched on a bannister above a young girl, its tail giving her a mustache.
—Françoise Mouly, The New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2022
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.
Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 20 May 2025
Kidman’s stairs are shrouded in fog, slicked with ice, seemingly steep, and have dangerous polar-mushrooms sprouting from the bannisters.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 29 Apr. 2025
For the rest of the short teaser, Lord and Lady Grantham (Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern) are shown walking around the grounds of the estate, touching bannisters and stone pillars with an air of finality.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 3 Apr. 2025
The other children holding on to the bannisters, and my brother Franz standing at the door, pleading for peace with the German word Frieden.
—Hugo Hamilton, The New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2024
Kravitz approaches her and climbs up on the bannister, before lifting her up and giving her a huge hug.
—Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 8 July 2024
At least this fire escape was a proper stairway, with a bannister to hold on to, and not just one of those ladders attached to a wall.
—Tessa Hadley, The New Yorker, 23 June 2024
Ute leader Black Hawk went to the school, The Salt Lake Tribune reported, and initially denied permission to take his children home, threw a teacher over a bannister.
—Sheila McCann, The Salt Lake Tribune, 15 July 2023
Once Lee came back with a drawing, which had been accepted, of a cat perched on a bannister above a young girl, its tail giving her a mustache.
—Françoise Mouly, The New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Bannister.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bannister. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationBiographical Definition
Bannister
biographical name
Ban·nis·ter
ˈba-nə-stər 
Sir Roger (Gilbert) 1929–2018 British runner and neurologist
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share