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

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 banister Its ascent is marked by an undulating golden mural, while a domed display cabinet built into the banister allows for a close encounter with Piaget creations. — Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 8 Mar. 2026 Cheval Blanc Courchevel’s mustard exterior suggests a traditional, Savoyard scene of reindeer rugs and bannisters carved with twee hearts and cowbells inside. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026 The leader of Philadelphia’s Gay Raiders handcuffed himself to a bannister in Independence Hall, by the Liberty Bell. — Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 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 See All Example Sentences for banister
Recent Examples of Synonyms for banister
  1. railing
  2. rail
Noun
  • Plans also call for a rooftop terrace with a hot tub—glass railings ensure an unbroken view—and a series of terraces that step down to a custom swimming pool.
    — Mark David, Robb Report, 4 July 2026
  • Pressed against the ship's railing, the sailors spotted a lighthouse and a water tower through binoculars.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Definition of railing
Noun
  • Consider the impact of investing even near that number in our existing bus and rail network and the land surrounding those stations.
    — Pete Harrison, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2026
  • Chastain, who lives in Virginia, has proposed many different rail transit plans for the city through petition initiatives, but none have ever become a reality.
    — Dylan Lysen July 6, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2026
Definition of rail

Browse Nearby Words

banishments
banister
banisters
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Banister.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banister. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on banister

Nglish: Translation of banister for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All