railing

noun

rail·​ing ˈrā-liŋ 

1

: a barrier consisting of a rail and supports

2

: rails

also : material for making rails

Synonyms

• balustrade
• banister
• bannister
• guardrail
• rail

Examples of railing in a Sentence

He leaned on the deck's railing and watched the sun set.

they had to put a childproof railing on the balcony when the baby started walking

Recent Examples on the Web

There are no sidewalks or railings anywhere in sight, no stop lights that help people cross the street, and no ramps leading into shops. —Ayen Deng Bior, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 June 2024

Its original winding staircase sports an intricate metal railing. —Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 27 June 2024

That side has arches with Art Deco pediments, while the more recent side has a simple railing. —Elena Gastaldo, Idaho Statesman, 24 June 2024

Jones said the railing on a roadway had been submerged by floodwaters, leading to the accident and his car drifting to a pedestrian bridge before becoming stuck in the drainage ditch. —Li Cohen, CBS News, 31 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

railing

noun

rail·​ing ˈrā-liŋ 

1

: a barrier (as a fence) consisting of rails and their supports

2

: material for rails