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 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 Ionic columns mark the entry, leading to a foyer with sweeping staircases under 14-foot ceilings. — Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026 Qubbat Duris borrows its name from a 13th-century monument near Baalbek, in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, where fragments of Roman limestone sarcophagi are layered atop eight granite columns from centuries prior. — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 28 Sep. 2026 Like many of the homes throughout Virginia, Birdwood Mansion was built according to Jeffersonian architectural and design ideals, with symmetrical details like an entrance portico, Doric columns, and impressive brickwork. — Heather Bien, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2026 Several readers have spoken of appreciation for the columns of mine that intersected sports and society, such as excoriating the NFL for its blackballing of Colin Kaepernick. — Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026 The structural system, meanwhile, is based on point supports, which means the building loads are transferred through columns that can be spaced relatively far apart. — New Atlas, 25 Sep. 2026 Dismissing stark right angles, the Johnstons sought a warmer contemporary aesthetic—one defined by fluid, organic curves that appear in the cedar roofs, columns, and courtyard wall. — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 24 Sep. 2026 Decorative brick columns will be constructed at the end of the fences and brick paving will be placed between the road’s concrete barrier and the sidewalk. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 23 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for columns
  1. rows
  2. pilasters
  3. lines
  4. pillars
  5. queues
  6. files
  7. strings
  8. trains
Noun
  • Whatever its financial troubles — and there are many — Paris retained its ability to assemble stellar front rows and impressive staging this season.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Officials on Wednesday presented an arena design with rows of retractable seats that would allow for configurations featuring three basketball courts, five volleyball courts, 12 pickleball courts or 28,000 square feet of meeting space on the floor.
    — Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 1 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
  • With BLADEone, there will be no crowded commercial terminals, long security lines, or boarding groups.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The team is deep enough and has the talent needed on multiple lines to be competitive, regardless of the travel concerns.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of lines
Noun
  • For generations, American streets and parks showcased the tall, stately pillars of rows and rows of elm trees.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The pillars behind the desk are replicas of the actual architecture of the Ed Sullivan Theatre.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of pillars
Noun
  • Look at code reviews, testing, environment provisioning, security processes, release queues and production readiness.
    — Abhi Shimpi, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026
  • But last Friday, Apple's latest iPhone launch resulted in long queues outside the company's stores across major Indian cities.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of queues
Noun
  • This absence drives Shimoda to unearth historical records like FBI files; to visit Manzanar, the concentration camp his grandfather was sent to in Missouri; and to travel to his grandfather’s ancestral homeland in Japan.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
  • For larger workloads, batch processing can handle multiple files for tasks such as conversion, merging, compression, OCR, printing, encryption, and adding or removing watermarks.
    — StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of files
Noun
  • This allowed the researchers to create the equivalent of static charges and strings and then suddenly change the system’s conditions.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Leaning into the lingerie aesthetic, Lisa’s dress showed off her red underwear with a gauzy bodycon skirt, which featured a ruched design at her hips and garter-like strings.
    — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of strings
Noun
  • Lakes, mountains, forests and the endless islands are all within a few hours of Gothenburg so even without a car everything is accessible using the excellent trains, buses and ferries.
    — Natasha Langan, TheWeek, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Then, in 2007, it was closed again to replace the trains with lighter ones and reopened the next year as X2.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of trains

Browse Nearby Words

columnists
columns
coma
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Cite this Entry

“Columns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/columns. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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