chair rail

noun

plural chair rails
: a molding on a wall around a room to protect the wall from being damaged by the backs of chairs
… had removed the chair rail, thereby eliminating the dado effect …Elizabeth Lambert

Examples of chair rail in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Or, consider using peel-and-stick wallpaper on the back of bookshelves, stair risers, inside arched niches, above chair rails, on wainscoting panels, or even within tray ceilings and non-working fireplace surrounds. Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2025 The kitchen is next to the formal dining room, which features more shadow boxing wall treatments under a chair rail, a crown molding, and the gracefully arched passageway to the entry hall. James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 17 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1798, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chair rail was in 1798

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Cite this Entry

“Chair rail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chair%20rail. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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