banister

noun

ˈba-nə-stər How to pronounce banister (audio)
variants also bannister
Definition of banisternext
as in railing
a protective barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and its supports a much-needed new banister for the rickety staircase

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 banister These include an Italian marble floor and dual stairways to the second floor that have solid bronze banisters from Brazil. — James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 31 May 2026 The staircase is a floating composition of wood treads, steel posts and glass banisters. — Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 25 May 2026 Plan your visit to President Lincoln's Cottage At the cottage, visitors are invited to sit on 19th-century chairs and pull themselves up using the original wooden banister, unlike most historic homes. — Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 3 May 2026 Over the banister, moonlight spilled across the foyer and illuminated a gloved hand reaching through the jagged hole in the window beside the front door. — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for banister
Recent Examples of Synonyms for banister
  1. railing
  2. rail
Noun
  • Most were gleaming white and conventionally extravagant, with black privacy glass and chrome railings and layers of decks.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Several spectators reached for the ball along the railing as Moises Alou lunged to try to make the catch.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of railing
Noun
  • The Orient Express was a pioneering international rail service that began in 1883, but its end destination, Turkey, didn’t adopt the Gregorian calendar until more than 40 years later.
    — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Working with fellow researchers, Cade now has a good reason to believe the Nature report is more than likely inaccurate – the train’s rail route didn’t exist until 1846.
    — Mike McRae October 15, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of rail

Browse Nearby Words

banishments
banister
banisters
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Cite this Entry

“Banister.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banister. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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