pillars

noun

plural of pillar
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

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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 Dior’s men’s fragrance business revolves around two modern pillars—Sauvage and Homme—and the prolific Kurkdjian thinks about the two pillars as neighboring territories. — Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 1 Aug. 2026 ScreenshotA complaint that appears to have been filed on July 8, 2021, through the county's SeeClickFix, or 311, online reporting system described cracking and chipping concrete pillars in the building's underground parking garage. — Drew Aunkst, CBS News, 31 July 2026 Those pillars give us the discipline to make choices, the clarity to measure progress and the consistency to build stronger partnerships over time. — Lynette Bell, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 The twin pillars of the Odyssey-Spider-Man showdown are sitting atop a summer that was already outperforming expectations before either of them opened. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 July 2026 Inroads with the American streamers has been one of ITV Studios’ pillars of growth for several years. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 30 July 2026 Republicans have since turned their attention to additional pillars of the social safety net. — Washington Post, 29 July 2026 The pillars, particularly the D-pillar, are more upright than any Audi SUV in history. — Joel Feder, The Drive, 29 July 2026 An array of pillars, permanent marks, the imposing Napoleonic-era Spitbank Fort, as well as the comings-and-goings of ferries and even the hovercraft going back and forth between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. — Andrew Rice, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pillars
  1. pilasters
  2. anchors
  3. columns
  4. backbones
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
  • If starry galaxies are like bright ships on a cosmic sea, then supermassive black holes are like their dark anchors.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 29 July 2026
  • Count New York University, Mount Sinai-Union Square Hospital, Zeckendorf Towers and other residential high rises as anchors as well.
    — David Moin, Footwear News, 28 July 2026
Definition of anchors
Noun
  • Here’s a roundup of the month’s biggest stories from Bud Kennedy’s Eats Beat columns.
    — Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2026
  • At the end of the street is the imposing Gringotts bank with its colossal marble columns and gleaming chandeliers hanging down from a domed ceiling.
    — Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of columns
Noun
  • Look under rocks for macroinvertebrates (animals without backbones, like stoneflies).
    — Carl R. Gold, Baltimore Sun, 18 June 2026
  • Data centers also need to be close enough to users and network backbones to provide fast digital services.
    — Sven Bilén, The Conversation, 16 June 2026
Definition of backbones

Browse Nearby Words

pillar
pillars
pillbox
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Cite this Entry

“Pillars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pillars. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pillars

Nglish: Translation of pillars for Spanish Speakers

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