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 Webb later revisited the region in infrared, seeing through more of the dust and revealing stars hidden inside and behind the pillars. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026 There’s a symmetry despite all four stands having a different design, ranging from the concrete pillars of the Bramall Lane end to the much smoother lines seen along the John Street Stand. — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026 Americans treat food, housing, and healthcare access as core pillars of health. — Tanya Akim, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 With the two pillars of modernity merging into one, antisemitism, in its modern form, was also anti-bourgeois. — Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026 Serú Girán and Texas Tornados are probably the twin pillars, but beyond that? — Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026 The living space would be elevated on pillars with parking and storage underneath — a common design along the coast. — Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 8 Aug. 2026 Musk pointed to each of the three business lines as part of the pillars of the company that will fuel what would have to be 10x growth in three or four years to hit his $1 trillion revenue projection. — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026 Communication has been one of their pillars since purchasing the inn, a Tudor-style home built in 1906. — Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 2 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pillars
  1. pilasters
  2. anchors
  3. columns
  4. backbones
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
  • Just as a morning show producer may prep the anchors to discuss what’s trending that day, brand studios want to be able to jump on those trends, too.
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Sunspot regions act like magnetic anchors, creating structures that can appear as spikes or streamers extending in different directions.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of anchors
Noun
  • Rather than the usual infotainment screen and a smattering of controls, this one has two columns of physical buttons with leather accents, and AC vents that echo the arrangement of the tailpipes out the back.
    — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 13 Aug. 2026
  • This is part of a series of columns about young people and the economy.
    — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 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 18 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pillars

Nglish: Translation of pillars for Spanish Speakers

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