1
as in pilasters
an upright shaft that supports an overhead structure
the ancient Greek temple boasted graceful marble pillars with richly ornamented tops
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in anchors
something or someone to which one looks for support
my father has been my pillar throughout this crisis
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pillars
Similarly, Labrador Retrievers are consistent in their high energy and intelligence, devoted to their owners, while serving as pillars for the family.
—
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
In the first six months of 2025, the key pillars were still going strong, according to the company’s investor presentation.
—James Manso, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025
The seven pillars of society—wisdom, love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility, and truth—aren’t just words carved into sacred walls.
—Maria Williams, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
The old shelves with their dusty cans were gone, replaced by three wooden pillars, each with a small platform at chest height.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Some of the highlights of the past five years include growth across all three pillars—Product, Lives, and Planet.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 24 Oct. 2025
This particular wing is a unique design that sees it spring from the C-pillars rather than the trunk.
—Tim Stevens, Robb Report, 23 Oct. 2025
According to Carscoops, early renderings reveal a low-slung front end, circular headlights, a modest front grille, and a compact cockpit, complemented by wing mirrors perched high on the A-pillars.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
The center of the nebula plays host to a population of energetic young stars that are busily sculpting dense pillars of dust with their radiation.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 19 Oct. 2025
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
In the first six months of 2025, the key pillars were still going strong, according to the company’s investor presentation.
—James Manso, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025
The seven pillars of society—wisdom, love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility, and truth—aren’t just words carved into sacred walls.
—Maria Williams, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
The old shelves with their dusty cans were gone, replaced by three wooden pillars, each with a small platform at chest height.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Some of the highlights of the past five years include growth across all three pillars—Product, Lives, and Planet.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 24 Oct. 2025
This particular wing is a unique design that sees it spring from the C-pillars rather than the trunk.
—Tim Stevens, Robb Report, 23 Oct. 2025
According to Carscoops, early renderings reveal a low-slung front end, circular headlights, a modest front grille, and a compact cockpit, complemented by wing mirrors perched high on the A-pillars.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
The center of the nebula plays host to a population of energetic young stars that are busily sculpting dense pillars of dust with their radiation.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 19 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pillars
Noun
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In the end, Laffrey, whose Broadway credits include Maybe Happy Ending and Parade, settled for using an iPhone app to record the size of pilasters and mullioned mirrors.—
Carey Purcell,
Architectural Digest,
27 Oct. 2025
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With pilasters, a limestone facade, and classic symmetrical design, the three-story building exemplifies the Beaux-Arts style popular at the turn of the 20th century, grand but not ostentatious.—
Irene S. Levine,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Most of the staff has been gutted, according to a person familiar with the operation, and anchors Dana Jacboson and Michelle Miller and executive producer Brian Applegate are expected to leave.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
29 Oct. 2025
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The anchors of ocean wind turbines in the southern North Sea act as reefs, with their animal populations varying between Heligoland and the southern German Bight.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harpers Magazine,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In one of those lawsuits, an attorney for a delivery driver said in 2022 that the building's support columns were not anchored to the floor, in violation of building codes.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
28 Oct. 2025
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The back entrance and staircases are lined with pumpkins, and colorful leaves cascade between the South Portico's columns.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Driving trucks is one of the unappreciated backbones of modern civilization.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
6 Sep. 2025
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Platform product management is rarely treated as a strategic, first-class discipline, resulting in fragmented backbones that fail to support enterprise-wide innovation.—
Gaurav Dixit,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pillars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pillars. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
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