columns

Definition of columnsnext
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 Students at the University of Missouri in Columbia took the fad to record-setting new heights on March 5, 1974, when 600 or so naked folks ran past the historic columns on campus while a crowd of about 1,500 people cheered them on. Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 14 May 2026 Second of two columns on transformation in defense technology and manufacturing. David Ignatius, Washington Post, 14 May 2026 They’re named after the Russian biochemist Sergei Winogradsky, who invented these columns in the service of soil science. Tina Rivers Ryan, Artforum, 14 May 2026 Some of the columns are up to 10 feet wide. Marnie Hunter, CNN Money, 14 May 2026 Part of the villa juts outward in a dramatic cantilever supported by skinny columns, giving the structure a floating effect when viewed from the surrounding gardens. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 13 May 2026 At the center of it all, perfectly aligned with the flags, columns, architraves, and pediments, was the engrossed Declaration in its altar, surmounted by a bronze eagle. Literary Hub, 13 May 2026 The next several columns are going to lay it out, piece by piece. Daren Smith, IndieWire, 13 May 2026 His columns, exclusive to the Tribune, now appear the first week of every month. Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for columns
Noun
  • The two leaders met in the cavernous Great Hall of the People beneath rows of American and Chinese flags after a welcoming ceremony that included an honor guard and schoolchildren waving banners.
    Nik Popli, Time, 14 May 2026
  • To keep weeds at bay, spread sterile straw between rows.
    Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • 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
  • Now, the city is split into three Republican-leaning districts, its majority-Black population sliced up and bound to mostly white, rural and conservative communities along lines that branch away from Fowler and Wilson’s East Memphis neighborhood.
    Matt Brown, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026
  • The digital twin created for one of Rajasthan’s largest state utilities mapped 5 million grid assets—poles, lines, transformers, and network infrastructure—by pulling together feeder, meter, and billing data previously stored in separate silos.
    Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
Noun
  • Alongside schools and transportation, public safety is one of the foundational pillars of a strong and growing county.
    Nick Stewart, Baltimore Sun, 9 May 2026
  • Give me 20 ideas across my content pillars of [list 3-4 themes].
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 9 May 2026
Noun
  • Conditions have eased slightly in recent days, with shorter queues at fuel stations after the government increased supplies, but concerns persist across sectors.
    Julhas Alam, Fortune, 11 May 2026
  • Meanwhile there were no queues to enter the US and Russian pavilions and the Israeli building stood locked and empty (a smaller satellite show was staged outside the main Giardini instead).
    Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
Noun
  • According to court files, former housekeeper Mileydis Morejon sued her former boss in December 2024 in Palm Beach County.
    Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 13 May 2026
  • Her name was among those released in files published in January.
    Claire Healy, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • The tuition payments may be a gift presented without strings, but there are still plenty of reasonable expectations that come with a college education.
    R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2026
  • International numbers or random strings are a clear warning sign.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • Plus, Amtrak has added more trains between San Diego and Los Angeles for the World Cup, making the Surfliner especially great for summer travel this year.
    Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 14 May 2026
  • Those figures include crimes aboard buses, trains, and at bus stops and stations, as well as on other CTA property such as garages.
    Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Columns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/columns. Accessed 18 May. 2026.

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