rail 1 of 2

noun

ˈrāl How to pronounce rail (audio)
Definition of railnext
1
as in railing
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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2
as in road
a roadway overlaid with parallel steel rails over which trains travel an abandoned stretch of rail that was overgrown with brush

Synonyms & Similar Words

rail

2 of 2

verb

as in to rant

Related Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb rail differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of rail are berate, revile, scold, upbraid, and vituperate. While all these words mean "to reproach angrily and abusively," rail (at or against) stresses an unrestrained berating.

railed loudly at their insolence

When could berate be used to replace rail?

In some situations, the words berate and rail are roughly equivalent. However, berate suggests prolonged and often abusive scolding.

berated continually by an overbearing boss

When is it sensible to use revile instead of rail?

While the synonyms revile and rail are close in meaning, revile implies a scurrilous, abusive attack prompted by anger or hatred.

an alleged killer reviled in the press

When is scold a more appropriate choice than rail?

The words scold and rail can be used in similar contexts, but scold implies rebuking in irritation or ill temper justly or unjustly.

angrily scolding the children

When would upbraid be a good substitute for rail?

The words upbraid and rail are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, upbraid implies censuring on definite and usually justifiable grounds.

upbraided her assistants for poor research

In what contexts can vituperate take the place of rail?

The synonyms vituperate and rail are sometimes interchangeable, but vituperate suggests a violent reviling.

was vituperated for betraying his friends

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 rail
Noun
Officials in Mansfield have lifted the precautionary shelter-in-place order after a freight train carrying 43 rail cars derailed on Thursday morning, including some carrying hazardous materials. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 7 Feb. 2026 Three separate incidents of damage were uncovered, including the discovery of a rudimentary explosive device on a switch of the Bologna-Padova line, according to Italy’s rail network Ferrovie dello Stato and Ansa news agency. —Antonia Mortensen, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
And there’s plenty of bad out there — including a news story about a faulty railing giving way and causing a woman’s death. —Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025 Independent redistricting advocates have railed against politically skewed voting districts designed to benefit one political party, describing such gerrymandering as a way to distort election outcomes by letting politicians choose their voters instead of the other way around. —Clara Hendrickson, Freep.com, 21 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rail
  1. railing
  2. road
  3. rant
  4. railroad
  5. fulminate
  6. railway
  7. revile
Noun
  • During a recent walkthrough, LED strips waited to be programmed beneath balcony railings, bars remained wrapped for protection.
    — Holly Alvarado, Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
  • The best way not to miss them is to start with the railings when wiping, letting the dust fall naturally, and then move on to the living room surfaces.
    — Heather Bien, The Spruce, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of railing
Noun
  • At peak periods, the lookout has drawn thousands of people a day, overwhelming narrow access roads and limited parking facilities.
    — Trista Kurniawan, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
  • The Hogs never trailed in their second straight road win.
    — Matt Byrne, Arkansas Online, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of road
Verb
  • The first 10 minutes of the film are set in Norms, where a grungy man staggers in with a bomb, ranting about artificial intelligence.
    — Fielding Buck, Daily News, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Brian Cox, who can rant and rave with the best of them, will tag in once Day-Lewis is aged out.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Definition of rant
Noun
  • Brightline is the deadliest major passenger railroad in the United States.
    — Brittany Wallman, Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Deputies returned to the camp a week later and found that cut railroad ties, lead-acid car batteries, and other hazardous waste was left at the camp.
    — Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of railroad
Verb
  • Some neighbors fulminated against the university, arguing that the extra events would bring more noise and traffic, and that the property tax-exempt institution would not pay its fair share.
    — Shun Graves, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
  • Predictably, Khomeini fulminated about Carter’s visit.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
Definition of fulminate
Noun
  • Upon arrival, officers met with the train conductor and found the man who was hit near the Union Pacific-West railway tracks east of Western Avenue, according to the release.
    — Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Electrical cables on a high-speed line were also severed, and a fire was started at an electrical cabin in the Adriatic town of Pesaro, the railway network said.
    — Antonia Mortensen, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
Definition of railway
Verb
  • During the demonstrations for racial justice in 2020, protestors across the country defaced and tore down statues of Washington, arguing that enslavers should be reviled, not honored.
    — John Garrison Marks, Time, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Trump is reviled on issues in poll after poll; Israel has never been the recipient of so much global criticism.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
Definition of revile

Phrases Containing rail

Browse Nearby Words

raids
rail
rail (against)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rail. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rail

Nglish: Translation of rail for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rail

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