1
as in railings
a protective barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and its supports
the stairs are icy, so hold onto the rail
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 rails
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 June 2026
There are significant worries that AI can readily go off the rails or otherwise dispense unsuitable or even egregiously inappropriate mental health advice.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Elsewhere, a couple of skaters from Spain slide their boards across the ramps and rails.
—Lauren Keith, Robb Report, 30 May 2026
Buyers can further upgrade with exclusive options and packages that include a roof basket, rock rails and Rock Creek floor mats.
—C.c. Weiss
may 29, New Atlas, 29 May 2026
Each weekday, students use the train to go to and from schools; low- to mid-income hourly workers ride the rails to their jobs; and travelers frequent the rail line to head for Miami International and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International airports.
—David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 27 May 2026
The manifesto cites White supremacist and neo-Nazi ideology, repeats tropes and rails against a cross-section of groups — religious, ethnic, women and LGBTQ+ communities.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2026
For travelers drawn to the calm and rhythm of the rails, long-distance train travel is the only option.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 23 May 2026
Eleven miles of road is located at elevations above 11,500 feet, with few guard rails and no shoulders.
—Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 20 May 2026
Noun
Accessibility This hotel is well-equipped for guests who need everything from adjustable showers to grab rails, lowered in-room view points and alarm clock telephone ringers.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 June 2026
There are significant worries that AI can readily go off the rails or otherwise dispense unsuitable or even egregiously inappropriate mental health advice.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Elsewhere, a couple of skaters from Spain slide their boards across the ramps and rails.
—Lauren Keith, Robb Report, 30 May 2026
Buyers can further upgrade with exclusive options and packages that include a roof basket, rock rails and Rock Creek floor mats.
—C.c. Weiss
may 29, New Atlas, 29 May 2026
Each weekday, students use the train to go to and from schools; low- to mid-income hourly workers ride the rails to their jobs; and travelers frequent the rail line to head for Miami International and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International airports.
—David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 27 May 2026
The manifesto cites White supremacist and neo-Nazi ideology, repeats tropes and rails against a cross-section of groups — religious, ethnic, women and LGBTQ+ communities.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2026
For travelers drawn to the calm and rhythm of the rails, long-distance train travel is the only option.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 23 May 2026
Eleven miles of road is located at elevations above 11,500 feet, with few guard rails and no shoulders.
—Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 20 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rails
Noun
-
Some of the provisions include allowing sidewalk cafes to have removable railings or fencing as dividers from the public sidewalk, prohibiting solid walls in the right of way, and allowing solid walls and windscreens in outdoor areas that are not in the right of way.—
Luke Harold,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2026
-
Supporters were spilling over each other in the stands and pressed up against the railings, sauced and sweaty and singing and cheering their boys on.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
The park’s 14 trails range from old mining roads to the perimeter of Kathleen Lake to Thechàl Dhâl, also known as Sheep Mountain, with northern wildlife and Southern Tutchone cultural heritage along the way.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
-
The new tax on Dubai tolls and parking, which began on June 1, will give the UAE government another cut from its roads that’s divorced from the financial performance of the operators.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
And his ultimate war is with Bob, a tech CEO who rants about his haters and has gotten rich off rebranded snake oil and whose obvious corruption has been obscured by his self-mythologizing.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
29 Aug. 2025
-
One grumbles when the driver rants about development’s ravages.—
Mark Ellwood,
Robb Report,
10 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The federal government hasn’t owned any freight railroads since the 1920s, with the exception of the Alaska Railroad, now owned by that state.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
-
Chain gangs to build railroads were also established during this time.—
Julia Bowling,
The Conversation,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Experts say these hybrid tactics include cyber attacks, border incursions and sabotaging everything from undersea cables to civilian railways.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
-
Minnesota’s Wildflower Project has spent the last decade planting pollinator gardens along medians and railways.—
Maggie Slepian,
Longreads,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
At a time when a majority of the country disapproves of—or actively reviles—the president, his name alone could end up limiting the program’s success.—
Will Gottsegen,
The Atlantic,
21 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rails. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
