columns

noun

plural of column
1
as in rows
a series of persons or things arranged one behind another a column of ants stretched between the fallen hot dog and the ant hill

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in pilasters
an upright shaft that supports an overhead structure engraved columns supported the arch on either side

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of columns Yet, the city views from her new outdoor space — of water towers, decorative brick and tilework, arches and columns and rooftop gardens — help soften the transition. — Tanya Fevzi, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026 Long ignored by Saudi Arabia, the ancient columns of Al-Rajajil are now embraced as part of the area’s rich pre-Islamic history. — Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Oct. 2026 At The Aster, a boutique hotel and members club in Hollywood, guests can begin the day with classes in the reformer Pilates studio, where old-world dark wood and ornamental columns are paired with high-tech apparatus. — Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2026 Then there's that vast lobby with its Neoclassical columns and lush foliage wall by celeb horticulturist Charlie Albone. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 Rich tried to vocalize his concerns, writing about the dangers in columns for outlets like Time magazine. — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026 Floral motifs appear throughout the mosque’s floors and walls, while columns rise like flower stems, each inlaid with mother-of-pearl and semi-precious stones that climb toward capitals shaped like palm fronds. — Kieron Marchese, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2026 Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for The Associated Press. — ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026 The sports page’s bread and butter has long been game stories, injury reports, trade rumors and opinion columns. — Alex Volonte, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for columns
  1. rows
  2. pilasters
  3. lines
  4. pillars
  5. queues
  6. files
  7. strings
  8. trains
Noun
  • The seat The business class cabin is low-lit in blues and purples—a nice touch for the impending red eye—and the 30 seats are arranged in 7 rows of 1-2-1 configuration.
    — Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Longtime strawberry farmer Rod Koda has rows of plants on his California farm that are still producing fruit well after the harvest would typically end.
    — Haven Daley, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of rows
Noun
  • The small saints on side pilasters were sold off on the antiques market.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Even now, its fins and pilasters adorn plenty of new construction, and in real-estate-speak, the phrase is code for high class.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 8 June 2026
Definition of pilasters
Noun
  • One of the positive changes in the streaming era is more blurred lines and less pressure to fit neatly into traditional genre boxes.
    — Meagan Jordan, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Built by Van der Graaf, the recreated Atlantic contains plenty of nods to the original’s design, from its elongated hull, elegant lines, and towering 147-foot masts.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of lines
Noun
  • The ground floor features an 18-seat bar with a rum wall backsplash, carved Moai heads and high-tops that spill out to a lush faux-grass courtyard framed in palm trees and tiki-totem pillars.
    — Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The pillars of maintaining safe and secure facilities and preparing people for reentry can only be realized if the Bureau of Prisons is provided the necessary resources.
    — Scott Peyton, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of pillars
Noun
  • Contact centers had spent decades organizing high volumes of work into queues, tracking outcomes, and building a body of past interactions.
    — David Pralong, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Long queues of cars at fuel stations have been seen in major cities, while hits on Russia’s largest online retailers have increased pressure on the already strained wartime economy.
    — Zahra Ullah, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of queues
Noun
  • Emails between Ovitz and Epstein were disclosed earlier this year as part of the Epstein files.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Felton also uses Amazon Quick, an AI assistant for work, himself, including to query supporting materials prepared for board meetings and locate answers in the underlying files.
    — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of files
Noun
  • May 21 – June 20 Fun may come with a few strings attached today.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Gemini May 21 – June 20 Fun may come with a few strings attached today.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of strings
Noun
  • The route is expected to come into service next summer, albeit using slower trains that won’t cover the planned 316 miles.
    — Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The backstory In the late 1800s, the Canadian Pacific Railway company began building grand hotels throughout Canada to house passengers traveling on their trains.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of trains

Browse Nearby Words

columnists
columns
coma
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Columns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/columns. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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