1
as in pilasters
an upright shaft that supports an overhead structure
the ancient Greek temple boasted graceful marble pillars with richly ornamented tops
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in anchors
something or someone to which one looks for support
my father has been my pillar throughout this crisis
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 pillars
Elsewhere, three pillars of the theatre community — André Bishop, Jules Fisher, and James Lapine — each received the 2026 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.
—
Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026
Lectra’s solutions support each of these pillars individually while connecting all stages of the garment lifecycle through centralized data and integrated workflows.
—Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 4 June 2026
Since their release, the novels have become regarded as pillars of 21st-century writing.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 4 June 2026
Intelligent Mobility, Intelligent Energy, and Intelligent Living are its three main pillars, each of which intends to solve the most persistent frustrations of life on the road.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 4 June 2026
Roman pillars, palm trees, and floral arrangements abound.
—Alexandra Jhamb Burns, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 June 2026
The foie gras, Santa Barbara uni and Cantabrian anchovies are all classic pillars of elegance.
—Colin Wrenn, Denver Post, 3 June 2026
Thick plastics and thin A-pillars.
—Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 3 June 2026
But merger enforcement should remain focused on competition and the potential for consumer and worker harm — the core pillars of antitrust — not political disagreements over content or viewpoint.
—Bill Lockyer, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026
Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026
Lectra’s solutions support each of these pillars individually while connecting all stages of the garment lifecycle through centralized data and integrated workflows.
—Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 4 June 2026
Since their release, the novels have become regarded as pillars of 21st-century writing.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 4 June 2026
Intelligent Mobility, Intelligent Energy, and Intelligent Living are its three main pillars, each of which intends to solve the most persistent frustrations of life on the road.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 4 June 2026
Roman pillars, palm trees, and floral arrangements abound.
—Alexandra Jhamb Burns, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 June 2026
The foie gras, Santa Barbara uni and Cantabrian anchovies are all classic pillars of elegance.
—Colin Wrenn, Denver Post, 3 June 2026
Thick plastics and thin A-pillars.
—Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 3 June 2026
But merger enforcement should remain focused on competition and the potential for consumer and worker harm — the core pillars of antitrust — not political disagreements over content or viewpoint.
—Bill Lockyer, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pillars
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
-
The historic resort town of Zakopane anchors the Polish side, while Slovakia’s High Tatras deliver mountain lakes, waterfalls and flocks of sheep among rocky crests.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
-
Michael Kosta hosts tonight, and the other anchors include Jon Stewart, Desi Lydic, Ronny Chieng and Josh Johnson.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Dark wood, red cushions, thick green curtains, white columns, sparkling chandeliers, and touches of gold and silver fill the spaces.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
The grand walled Greco-Roman settlement is entered through 2nd-century Hadrian’s Arch and includes the Temple of Zeus, the Hippodrome, the Temple of Artemis and the Forum’s oval colonnade of 56 Corinthian columns.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Even when degraded, enzymes have stable backbones that might be capable of catalyzing reactions, said Sudha Rajamani, an astrobiologist at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune who wasn’t involved in the study.—
Siddhant Pusdekar,
Quanta Magazine,
1 June 2026
-
As songwriters, the Ottavianos usually only needed a metaphor, a single beautiful image, or a fun double entendre to serve as narrative backbones.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pillars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pillars. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
