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

Coffee on the porch, boats pulled from shore, wet towels over railings, late light moving through the trees. — Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

If your deck is more than 2 feet or two steps above ground, a railing is necessary. — Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 July 2026

Police officers loiter in the shade, leaning against railings at casual angles that suggest the world’s problems are being solved. — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 6 July 2026

Plans also call for a rooftop terrace with a hot tub—glass railings ensure an unbroken view—and a series of terraces that step down to a custom swimming pool. — Mark David, Robb Report, 4 July 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