Synonyms

handrail

American

[hand-reyl] / ˈhændˌreɪl /

noun

a rail serving as a support or guard at the side of a stairway, platform, etc.

handrail British

/ ˈhændˌreɪl /

noun

a rail alongside a stairway, etc, at a convenient height to be grasped to provide support

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of handrail

First recorded in 1785–95; hand + rail ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She finished by painting the handrail bright blue and wrapping each stair with a Persian-style runner.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

The collection’s key motif was a curved red handrail designed for Milan’s 60-year-old red line by the late architect Franco Albini.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 13, 2024

I gave the handrail a couple yanks until I felt the bolt start to yield.

From Salon • Dec. 5, 2023

He gripped the handrail on either side of the stairs and forced his foot onto the first step.

From New York Times • Nov. 20, 2023

I stay as close to the handrail as possible to leave space between us.

From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023