pillar

1 of 2

noun

pil·​lar ˈpi-lər How to pronounce pillar (audio)
Synonyms of pillar
1
a
: a firm upright support for a superstructure : post entry 1
b
: a usually ornamental column or shaft
especially : one standing alone for a monument
2
a
: a supporting, integral, or upstanding member or part
a pillar of society
b
: a fundamental precept
the five pillars of Islam
3
: a solid mass of coal, rock, or ore left standing to support a mine roof
4
: a body part that resembles a column
pillarless adjective
see also:
from pillar to post

pillar

2 of 2

verb

pillared; pillaring; pillars

transitive verb

: to provide or strengthen with or as if with pillars

Synonyms of pillar

Relevance

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of pillar in a Sentence

Noun the ancient Greek temple boasted graceful marble pillars with richly ornamented tops my father has been my pillar throughout this crisis
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
The other major topic of discussion will be regarding supply chain improvements, which is a key pillar of our investment thesis. — Zev Fima,kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 2 Aug. 2026 And that was all before the release of a new report showing that homelessness in the city rose for the first time in three years, undercutting a pillar of Bass’ fall runoff campaign against Raman. — Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Verb
That's with respect to pillar 2. — Tax Notes Staff, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026 Workers saw deep cracks in the building’s support pillars the day before the disaster, but their warnings went ignored. — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for pillar

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English piler, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin pilare, from Latin pila

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1787, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pillar was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing pillar

Rhymes for pillar

See All Rhymes for pillar

Browse Nearby Words

pillager
pillar
pillar-and-breast
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pillar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pillar. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pillar

1 of 2 noun
pil·​lar ˈpil-ər How to pronounce pillar (audio)
1
: a firm upright support (as for a roof)
2
: a column or shaft standing alone (as for a monument)
3
: a supporting or important member or part
a pillar of society

pillar

2 of 2 verb
: to provide or support with or as if with pillars
a long pillared hall

Medical Definition

pillar

noun
pil·​lar ˈpil-ər How to pronounce pillar (audio)
: a body part likened to a pillar or column (as the margin of the external inguinal ring)
specifically : pillar of the fauces

More from Merriam-Webster on pillar

Nglish: Translation of pillar for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pillar

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