pier

noun

ˈpir How to pronounce pier (audio)
Definition of piernext
1
as in dock
a structure used by boats and ships for taking on or landing cargo and passengers tied the boat up at the pier

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in pilaster
an upright shaft that supports an overhead structure a bridge pier

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of pier The piers were 24 meters apart, with an iron pipe between them. — Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 25 Sep. 2026 The couple was later seen celebrating across the street from the pier at Sam & Omie’s restaurant. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 25 Sep. 2026 The company announced the tools at its annual Made on YouTube event in New York City, with CEO Neal Mohan taking the stage in Google’s office in a former shipping pier on the Hudson River. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2026 Sheridan Gorman was shot and killed while visiting friends near a pier and lighthouse in Chicago. — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pier
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pier
  1. dock
  2. pilaster
  3. wharf
  4. pillar
  5. quay
  6. column
  7. stanchion
Noun
  • Across the bay in San Diego, hundreds of people gathered to watch the ship dock.
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 8 Oct. 2026
  • All 564 elegant rooms and suites are spacious with harbor views, combining generous windows and contemporary furniture with iHome docks.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of dock
Noun
  • The small saints on side pilasters were sold off on the antiques market.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Even now, its fins and pilasters adorn plenty of new construction, and in real-estate-speak, the phrase is code for high class.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 8 June 2026
Definition of pilaster
Noun
  • Their transatlantic journey is slated to begin in Portsmouth, but once there Håkan loses sight of his brother in the crowds along the wharf.
    — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
  • But in 1820, Shippingport had about 600 residents, three wharves for steamboats, taverns and a flour mill.
    — Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of wharf
Noun
  • The rural economy, largely dependent on farming, is also an important pillar of consumer spending.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The ground floor features an 18-seat bar with a rum wall backsplash, carved Moai heads and high-tops that spill out to a lush faux-grass courtyard framed in palm trees and tiki-totem pillars.
    — Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of pillar
Noun
  • Three Yemeni government sources told Reuters air defenses were engaging drones launched by the Houthis toward the commercial quay and storage in the port.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Emergency services evacuated everyone from the vessel and the surrounding quay after the leak was detected and carried out air quality measurements.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 15 July 2026
Definition of quay
Noun
  • Then there's that vast lobby with its Neoclassical columns and lush foliage wall by celeb horticulturist Charlie Albone.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Rich tried to vocalize his concerns, writing about the dangers in columns for outlets like Time magazine.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of column
Noun
  • The faux grassy area currently is filled with stanchions set up for the park’s Halloween Horror Nights event.
    — Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The stone has permanent steel receptacles for stanchions used in rope lines.
    — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of stanchion

Browse Nearby Words

pieholes
pier
pierce
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pier.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pier. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pier

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pier

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