: any of the parallel beams that support a roof
1
: one who maneuvers logs into position and binds them into rafts
2
: one who travels by raft
Examples of rafter in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
The Estadio Azteca is unmatched when full to its rafters and the 80,000-plus crowd is behind the national team.
—
Felipe Cardenas,
New York Times,
1 July 2026
Vaughn’s jersey hangs in the rafters of Allen Fieldhouse following a jersey retirement ceremony in December 2002.
—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
25 June 2026
In the summer of 2023, after his death, Verlaine’s book collection went on sale — two Brooklyn garages packed to the rafters with books on art, physics, UFOs, theosophy, anything.
—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
24 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rafter
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Noun
Other reinforcements, like adding hurricane straps to your rafters, retrofitting soffits and bracing roof trusses, can further reduce your risk of structural damage.
—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
The Estadio Azteca is unmatched when full to its rafters and the 80,000-plus crowd is behind the national team.
—
Felipe Cardenas,
New York Times,
1 July 2026
Vaughn’s jersey hangs in the rafters of Allen Fieldhouse following a jersey retirement ceremony in December 2002.
—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
25 June 2026
In the summer of 2023, after his death, Verlaine’s book collection went on sale — two Brooklyn garages packed to the rafters with books on art, physics, UFOs, theosophy, anything.
—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
24 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rafter
Cite this Entry
“Rafter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rafter. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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