pillar

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noun pil·lar \ ˈpi-lər \

Definition of pillar

1 a :a firm upright support for a superstructure :post

b :a usually ornamental column or shaft; especially :one standing alone for a monument

2 a :a supporting, integral, or upstanding member or part

a pillar of society

b :a fundamental precept

the five pillars of Islam

3 :a solid mass of coal, rock, or ore left standing to support a mine roof

4 :a body part that resembles a column

—

pillarless

adjective

— from pillar to post

:from one place or one predicament to another

See pillar defined for English-language learners

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Examples of pillar in a Sentence

the ancient Greek temple boasted graceful marble pillars with richly ornamented tops
my father has been my pillar throughout this crisis

Recent Examples of pillar from the Web

On Tuesday, according to The Washington Post, three fund-raising pillars decided to pull out of events at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.

— emily jane fox, vanityfair.com, "The Bull Case for the Trump Presidency Collapses," 18 Aug. 2017
On Tuesday, according to The Washington Post, three fund-raising pillars decided to pull out of events at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.

— emily jane fox, The Hive, "The Bull Case for the Trump Presidency Collapses," 18 Aug. 2017
There is a more sound-absorptive headliner and more insulation behind door panels, roof-support pillars and inside the rear hatch.

— mark maynard, sandiegouniontribune.com, "2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring," 18 Aug. 2017
Gloss Black trims the rear spoiler, A, B, and D pillars, the shark fin antenna, the edge of the mirror housing and the mirror arm, the silver DISCOVERY branded faux vents on the front quarters, the headlight surround, and the roof rails ($400).

— emma jayne williams, star-telegram, "Land Rover updates the Discovery for 2017, moving into fifth generation," 11 Aug. 2017
Trump, who seems determined to smash every pillar of former president Barack Obama's legacy, repeatedly cast the deal as a capitulation to the Islamic Republic.

— ishaan tharoor, Washington Post, "The U.S. and Iran are heading toward crisis," 19 July 2017
TV footage showed a teenage boy crying for help as residents struggled with their hands to remove a concrete pillar that had fallen on his leg.

— muhammad farooq, The Seattle Times, "Building in Pakistan collapses, killing at least 5 residents," 18 July 2017
The new system, says Smart City, reduces gaps in coverage created by steel or concrete pillars and other architectural features that can interfere with the signal between the phone and the devices receiving the messages.

— lori weisberg, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Better cell service completed in time for Comic-Con," 18 July 2017
Promises of repeal constituted the central pillar of the GOP platform when the party was out of power in the White House.

— clare foran, The Atlantic, "Mitch McConnell Calls for Obamacare Repeal Vote," 17 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pillar.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.