railing

noun

rail·​ing ˈrā-liŋ 

1

: a barrier consisting of a rail and supports

2

: rails

also : material for making rails

Synonyms of railing

• rail

Examples of railing in a Sentence

He leaned on the deck's railing and watched the sun set.

they had to put a childproof railing on the balcony when the baby started walking

Recent Examples on the Web

Regina stood in front of the window overlooking the void that plunged down to the courtyard below, beyond the balcony railing. —Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026

In the front of the home, opening the staircase wall and replacing it with a railing made for a subtle but transformative decision, drawing natural light from the landing window deep into the home. —Gina Mayfield, Dallas Morning News, 15 Jan. 2026

The project includes replacing the bridge deck, adding new sidewalks and railings, and resurfacing the roadway approaches. —Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026

People on the patio leapt from their seats and crowded the railing, holding up their phones. —Paige Williams, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for railing

• ailing
• bailing
• baling
• failing
• flailing
• grayling
• hailing
• jailing
• mailing
• nailing
• paling
• sailing

Kids Definition

railing

noun

rail·​ing ˈrā-liŋ 

1

: a barrier (as a fence) consisting of rails and their supports

2

: material for rails