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 Safety tips Rip currents form after a wave crashes on shore and encounters an obstacle in the beach's topography, including low spots in sand bars and around piers. — Ash-Har Quraishi, CBS News, 1 July 2026 The 63-acre park borders the Indian River Lagoon and has a beach, interactive play fountain, 780-foot fishing pier, landscaped gardens, open grass fields, and more. — Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 28 June 2026 New retail openings in Cannes and Saint-Tropez, a takeover of the pier at Hôtel Martinez and the launch of the 72-metre ALO Voyage yacht together signal something much bigger than summer brand theatre. — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 Her trip took two weeks and covered the full 2,400 miles, with stops in Branson, Missouri, Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Flagstaff, Arizona, before ending at the Santa Monica pier. — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 29 June 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
  • Whistling and cheering, crowds gathered on the concrete dock below.
    — Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • The morgue that serves La Guaira is makeshift—a white tent on a dock lined with body bags and coffins.
    — Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026
Definition of dock
Noun
  • 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
  • And then this pilaster rising up.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 2026
Definition of pilaster
Noun
  • Vanuatu has received large loans and aid from China for buildings, wharves and other infrastructure.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 June 2026
  • The father wanted nets and the smell of the wharf.
    — Anthony Scaramucci, Fortune, 28 June 2026
Definition of wharf
Noun
  • The only way to preserve our republic is to strengthen the pillars of our present with the mortar of our past.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
  • These clips, showing first-person views from drones striking military and logistical sites, have become a pillar of Ukraine’s wartime propaganda efforts to illustrate battlefield successes against Russia.
    — Marc Santora, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of pillar
Noun
  • And, the river quay at sunset was the perfect location for Officine Générale.
    — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 29 June 2026
  • Ten 35-pound wreckfish — enormous silver deep-water dwellers that live down to 650 feet — are filleted and bagged on a large stainless-steel table on the quay.
    — NPR, NPR, 4 Apr. 2026
Definition of quay
Noun
  • Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and wrote the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY.
    — Zach Wichter, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • United is a staple of the gossip column and so supporters must take any reporting about transfer targets linked to their club with a pinch of salt.
    — Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of column
Noun
  • The image of Brooking’s shot lodged in the stanchion, and Moore’s delighted commentary, have never left me.
    — The Athletic UK Staff, New York Times, 18 June 2026
  • For example, the deck stanchions had to be reinforced to withstand the moments from a 24 m-tall cylinder in heavy wind.
    — Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 21 Apr. 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 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pier

Nglish: Translation of pier for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pier

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