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

At one end, the glass wall slides back, opening onto an outdoor lounge, with the skyline winking beyond a virtually invisible railing of glass. —Justin Davidson, Curbed, 21 Nov. 2024

An open hallway outside Dengel’s office overlooks the library’s main floor and is flanked by an ornate brass railing. —David Owen, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024

Then each entered a blower unit, where fans sent a pulse of air to clean potential contamination. Inside the cavern where the sphere lies, workers climbed railings and beams carrying flashlights and wiped down smudges. —Eric Baculinao, NBC News, 31 Oct. 2024

Photography Courtesy of Burberry The store is set across 3 floors, accessible by a grand staircase wherein railings feature a design similar to those on the streets of London. —Alia Akkam, Architectural Digest, 28 Oct. 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