Synonyms of rail

rail 1 of 2

noun

ˈrāl 

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

• railing
• bannister
• balustrade
• guardrail
• banister
• fender
• handrail
• taffrail

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

• road
• railroad
• railway
• elevated
• el
• elevated railroad
• monorail

rail

2 of 2

verb

as in to rant

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rant
• fulminate
• revile
• damn
• execrate
• cuss
• imprecate
• swear
• curse
• blaspheme
• anathematize
• confound

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

Examples of rail in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The woman ultimately turns back toward the bridge to face them, and Bon Jovi and his partner help her hoist herself over the rail. —Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2024

An all-island rail review, which includes neighboring Northern Ireland, says a €37 billion investment was required over 25 years to update the island’s network. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune Europe, 11 Sep. 2024

Verb

Trump also met with a panel of Teamsters and even invited O’Brien to speak at the Republican National Convention, where the union leader railed against corporate greed. —Josh Boak and Tom Krisher, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2024

Earlier this month, striking new images from a recent expedition to the Titanic wreckage show the decay on the iconic ship's bow with a large section of railing now on the sea floor, as well as the discovery of a bronze statue from the ship that was feared lost forever. —CBS News, 17 Sep. 2024

Phrases Containing rail

• rail (at or against)