railing

[ rey-ling ]

noun

1. a fencelike barrier composed of one or more horizontal rails supported by widely spaced uprights; balustrade.
2. banister ( def 2 ).
3. rails collectively.

railing

/ ˈreɪlɪŋ /

noun

1. often plural a fence, balustrade, or barrier that consists of rails supported by posts
2. rails collectively or material for making rails

Word History and Origins

Origin of railing¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; rail ¹ + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Then he played his equivalent of his greatest hits — railing against billionaires like Elon Musk.

From Los Angeles Times

However, it said that these options would be "costly", adding that placing a railing around the artwork "may increase risk".

From BBC

Hundreds of local Estonians waited in the cold to meet the prince in Tallinn, lining the railings to shake his hand or to take a selfie.

From BBC

This was an echo of the criticism Vance made in Munich, railing against European regulations on artificial intelligence and social media platforms.

From BBC

But in more recent years, the World Health Organization and other groups have been practically railing against alcohol consumption, publicizing it as toxic and a leading cause of disease.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• barrier
• fence
• pole
• rail
• rails
• siding