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 company was adding 18,000 square feet to 15 upper floors of the building, and the additional load caused two columns to bend, sagging the floors – some as much as 4 inches, Nathan Berman, founder and managing principal of MetroLoft, told CNN. — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 11 July 2026 In the Owens Valley, thermals — columns of warm, rising air — rocket paragliders to altitudes higher than most small airplanes can fly. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026 Fishback’s constant sniping at Israel, including his use of antisemitic dog whistles, has attracted legions of conservative fans, as well as national headlines and columns. — Will Carless, USA Today, 10 July 2026 Traditionally, integrating applications was about linking to the right rows and columns in a database. — Steve Banker, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026 As Bud Kennedy laid out in his columns revisiting the legend, front-page columnist George Dolan had already tipped his hand — months before the Goatman ever showed up. — Star-Telegram Staff, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2026 City officials have not determined what caused the columns to buckle. — ABC News, 10 July 2026 DeJohn got his start in the industry working as a fashion illustrator at The Philadelphia Bulletin, where his work accompanied the fashion columns. — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 2 July 2026 Original Tuscan columns on the facade were preserved, while interior crown moldings were restored and paired with bleached hardwood chevron floors, new chandeliers, and mantlepieces. — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 2 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for columns
  1. rows
  2. pilasters
  3. lines
  4. pillars
  5. queues
  6. files
  7. strings
  8. trains
Noun
  • Next to seemingly endless rows of bell peppers, sweet corn and leafy greens at B & T Farms stand thousand-gallon drums of nitrogen fertilizer, the cost of which has increased 125% since 2020 amid supply shocks and wars around the world.
    — Chase Hunter, Boston Herald, 6 July 2026
  • Walk the rows, clip your favorites and take home a custom bouquet.
    — Melissa Oyler, Charlotte Observer, 6 July 2026
Definition of rows
Noun
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of pilasters
Noun
  • Power lines were down near West Boulevard and Remount Road, a Charlotte Observer journalist reported.
    — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 11 July 2026
  • More than 100 firefighters were assigned to the incident, working on the ground to attack the conflagration with hose-lines.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of lines
Noun
  • Still, the pieces of ceiling trim dedicated to the pillars of courage and trust remained missing, a nod perhaps to the traits most easily lost when disaster strikes – and most needed to rebuild.
    — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • The only way to preserve our republic is to strengthen the pillars of our present with the mortar of our past.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of pillars
Noun
  • Trucks were held up in hours of queues in 2021 when Saudi Arabia imposed new restrictions on imports from the UAE, as relations between the leaders of the two countries deteriorated over a dispute about oil production and rising economic rivalry.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 9 July 2026
  • By co-locating generation next to the racks, the partners bypass years-long interconnection queues.
    — Junaid Ali, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of queues
Noun
  • Friday’s release adds 40 files to the government’s growing UAP archive.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 July 2026
  • The Fort Worth Independent School District has filed a request for proposals for the purchase of the Charles Nash Elementary School campus, which closed in May, according to public files.
    — Mary Ella Hastings July 10, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2026
Definition of files
Noun
  • Free from the regulatory strings of its public service parent company, ITV Studios’ pull will only increase.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 6 July 2026
  • According to a report from Bleeping Computer, the developers of a new Mac malware called Gaslight packed it with fake errors and other prompt-injection strings.
    — Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 3 July 2026
Definition of strings
Noun
  • You could be forgiven for mistaking the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority for an apparel brand that also operates trains and buses on the side.
    — Liam Scott, Washington Post, 10 July 2026
  • The company, which operates high-speed trains connecting a handful of northern European cities, including London, Paris and Brussels, initially ordered up to 50 new trains that could handle temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius (113 Farenheit).
    — Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 10 July 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 11 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of columns for Spanish Speakers

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