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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rails
Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
Everything went off the rails in 2020.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2026
As transportation systems expanded on rails and roadways, more visitors made their way south.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2026
The company spent three days last week building the final version of the structure, which is divided into sections on rails so it can be assembled and taken apart without doing so over the rink itself.
—Joe Smith, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
The Moment lands between a celebrity thriller, reality television, and a pop concert documentary that’s headed off the rails.
—Anna Gaca, Pitchfork, 30 Jan. 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, 30 Jan. 2026
But as the season progressed, the [shudders] discourse really went off the rails.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Jan. 2026
This technique helps extend the lifespan of the rails and reduces wear on the railcar wheels.
—Garrett Behanna, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
In the Boston area, a train with lasers mounted in front zaps the rails to deal with leaf slurry that creates an oil slick.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
Everything went off the rails in 2020.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2026
As transportation systems expanded on rails and roadways, more visitors made their way south.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2026
The company spent three days last week building the final version of the structure, which is divided into sections on rails so it can be assembled and taken apart without doing so over the rink itself.
—Joe Smith, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
The Moment lands between a celebrity thriller, reality television, and a pop concert documentary that’s headed off the rails.
—Anna Gaca, Pitchfork, 30 Jan. 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, 30 Jan. 2026
But as the season progressed, the [shudders] discourse really went off the rails.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Jan. 2026
This technique helps extend the lifespan of the rails and reduces wear on the railcar wheels.
—Garrett Behanna, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rails
Noun
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Some passengers aren’t as mindful about handwashing, so using hand sanitizer is a good idea around high-touch areas like the buffet line and hand railings.—
Jill Schildhouse,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
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Other issues included limited railings, a lack of automatic doors, fixing curb cuts outside building entrances and general wheelchair and access accommodations in rooms open to the public.—
Dana Afana,
Freep.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Very cold air already in place will allow snow to accumulate quickly across the region, sticking to roads, bridges and untreated surfaces with little melting.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
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Some North Texas roads may still be hazardous into Thursday morning’s commute, even after ice melting Wednesday, officials with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth said.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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One grumbles when the driver rants about development’s ravages.—
Mark Ellwood,
Robb Report,
10 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Getty Images At Davos 2026, global leaders spoke about artificial intelligence the way their predecessors spoke about railroads, electricity, automobiles and the internet.—
Mark Minevich,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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Elsewhere in the United States, the advent of railroads as a less expensive and less dangerous way to ship cargo brought about the demise of steamboats.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Roads and Railways The government has led the push for infrastructure capital expenditure through the roads and railways sectors, both of which are expected to receive higher allocations in the budget.—
Ashutosh Joshi,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
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For now, millions of passengers continue to rely on the unseen armies of drivers, engineers and technicians who keep high-speed railways running safely.—
Ben Jones,
CNN Money,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rails. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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