piers

noun

plural of pier
1
as in docks
a structure used by boats and ships for taking on or landing cargo and passengers tied the boat up at the pier

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in pilasters
an upright shaft that supports an overhead structure a bridge pier

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 piers Benioff left a tiny gap between one of the piers and the pipe. — Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 25 Sep. 2026 Under Spanish rule, able-bodied Malay men, from teenagers to adults, were required to perform 40 days of unpaid annual labor on roads, bridges, churches, forts, piers, plantations, haciendas and mines. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026 People are advised to stay out of the water and away from rocks, jetties, piers and other infrastructure near the ocean, the agency says. — Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2026 Officials were forced to close the bridge for about two months in February 2024 after two of its support piers shifted. — Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2026 But there are plenty of other piers for a fun family day out. — Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 3 Sep. 2026 The existing span, which is set on wooden piers, predates the 1971 founding of the ACHD by decades, Bjornestad previously told the Idaho Statesman. — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 3 Sep. 2026 The previous record-strong El Niño in modern times, in 1982-83, coincided with significant damage across the coastline, wrecking the piers in Santa Monica and Seal Beach. — Robert Gauthier, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 After years of analysis, Caltrans has decided to weave strong micropiles into the 499 aging piles that now support the bridge’s piers, said Allan Kosup, chief deputy director of Caltrans District 11 in San Diego and Imperial counties. — David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piers
  1. docks
  2. pilasters
  3. wharves
  4. pillars
  5. quays
  6. columns
Noun
  • Out back, there’s a pool house and a sauna, a gym, a saltwater pool, and 234 feet of waterfront with docks, a beach, and a boathouse.
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Electric tugs docked alongside an LNG carrier being loaded at the LNG Canada docks in Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada, on Monday, July 14, 2025.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of docks
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
  • But in 1820, Shippingport had about 600 residents, three wharves for steamboats, taverns and a flour mill.
    — Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The redevelopment would change that by extending and upgrading existing wharves and dredging areas around the docks.
    — David Nikel, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of wharves
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
  • Wine is embedded in the city’s architecture, history and daily life, from grand 18th-century façades to the bustling quays of the Garonne.
    — Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
  • According to Vantor, the image shows the construction of a dry dock and new quays and piers at one of China’s most strategically important bases.
    — Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 8 Dec. 2025
Definition of quays
Noun
  • 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
Definition of columns

Browse Nearby Words

pier mirrors
piers
pie safe
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Cite this Entry

“Piers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piers. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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