way

1 of 3

noun

ˈwā 

1

a

: a thoroughfare for travel or transportation from place to place

b

: an opening for passage

this door is the only way out of the room

2

: the course traveled from one place to another : route

asked the way to the museum

3

a

: a course (such as a series of actions or sequence of events) leading in a direction or toward an objective

led the way to eventual open heart operations

—Current Biography

b(1)

: a course of action

took the easy way out

(2)

: opportunity, capability, or fact of doing as one pleases

always manages to get her own way

c

: a possible decision, action, or outcome : possibility

they were rude—no two ways about it

4

a

: manner or method of doing or happening

admired her way of thinking

also : method of accomplishing : means

that's the way to do it

b

: feature, respect

in no way resembles her mother

c

: a usually specified degree of participation in an activity or enterprise

active in real estate in a small way

5

a

: characteristic, regular, or habitual manner or mode of being, behaving, or happening

knows nothing of the ways of women

b

: ability to get along well or perform well

she has a way with kids

a way with words

6

: the length of a course : distance

has come a long way in her studies

still have a way to go

7

: movement or progress along a course

worked her way up the corporate ladder

8

a

: direction

is coming this way

b

: participant

—usually used in combination

three-way discussion

9

: state of affairs : condition, state

that's the way things are

10

a

ways plural in form but sometimes singular in construction : an inclined structure upon which a ship is built or supported in launching

b

ways plural : the guiding surfaces on the bed of a machine along which a table or carriage moves

11

: category, kind

—usually used in the phrase in the way of

doesn't require much in the way of expensive equipment

—Forbes

12

: motion or speed of a ship or boat through the water

way

2 of 3

adjective

: of, connected with, or constituting an intermediate point on a route

way

3 of 3

adverb

1

informal

a

: by a long distance : to a considerable degree or extent : far

is way ahead of the class

sat way in the back row

b

: by far : much

ate way too much

that's way too expensive

c

: very sense 1

way cool

way excited

2

: all the way

pull the switch way back

Phrases

all the way

: to the full or entire extent : as far as possible

ran all the way home

seated all the way in the back

by the way

: by way of interjection or digression : incidentally

by way of

1

: for the purpose of

2

: by the route through : via

in a way

1

: within limits : with reservations

2

: from one point of view

in one's way or less commonly in the way

1

: in a position to be encountered by one : in or along one's course

an opportunity had been put in my way

—Ellen Glasgow

2

: in a position to hinder or obstruct

on the way or on one's way

: moving along in one's course : in progress

out of the way

1

: wrong, improper

didn't know I'd said anything out of the way

2

a

: in or to a secluded place

b

: unusual, remarkable

there's nothing out of the way about the plan

3

: done, completed

got his homework out of the way

the way

1

: in view of the manner in which

you'd think she was rich, the way she spends money

2

: like, as

we have cats the way other people have mice

—James Thurber

from way back

: of long standing

friends from way back

Synonyms

Noun

• arterial
• artery
• avenue
• boulevard
• carriageway [British]
• drag
• drive
• expressway
• freeway
• high road
• highway
• pass
• pike
• road
• roadway
• route
• row
• street
• thoroughfare
• thruway
• trace
• turnpike

Adverb

• achingly
• almighty
• archly
• awful
• awfully
• badly
• beastly
• blisteringly
• bone
• colossally
• corking
• cracking
• damn
• damned
• dang
• deadly
• desperately
• eminently
• enormously
• especially
• ever
• exceedingly
• exceeding
• extra
• extremely
• fabulously
• fantastically
• far
• fiercely
• filthy
• frightfully
• full
• greatly
• heavily
• highly
• hugely
• immensely
• incredibly
• intensely
• jolly
• majorly
• mightily
• mighty
• monstrous [chiefly dialect]
• mortally
• most
• much
• particularly
• passing
• rattling
• real
• really
• right
• roaring
• roaringly
• seriously
• severely
• so
• sore
• sorely
• spanking
• specially
• stinking
• such
• super
• supremely
• surpassingly
• terribly
• that
• thumping
• too
• unco
• uncommonly
• vastly
• very
• vitally
• whacking
• wicked
• wildly

Choose the Right Synonym for way

method, mode, manner, way, fashion, system mean the means taken or procedure followed in achieving an end.

method implies an orderly logical arrangement usually in steps.

effective teaching methods

mode implies an order or course followed by custom, tradition, or personal preference.

the preferred mode of transportation

manner is close to mode but may imply a procedure or method that is individual or distinctive.

an odd manner of conducting

way is very general and may be used for any of the preceding words.

has her own way of doing things

fashion may suggest a peculiar or characteristic way of doing something.

rushing about in his typical fashion

system suggests a fully developed or carefully formulated method often emphasizing rational orderliness.

a filing system

Examples of way in a Sentence

Noun

We'll try doing it your way first.

Let me explain it this way.

You can pay for your purchase in one of two ways: by cash or by credit card.

Which door is the way in?

The back way was blocked.

This door is the only way out of the room.

Adverb

He is way ahead of the other runners.

They live way out in the country.

We sat way back in the last row.

I missed a week of class and fell way behind.

Your parents are way cool.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Smalls and other union leaders campaigned against the election, but the vote didn’t go their way. —Haleluya Hadero, Quartz, 8 Apr. 2024

Electronics are essential to the way our world works. —Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2024

But to be in the path of totality during an eclipse is to experience the cosmos in a truly rare way. —Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2024

Both sides then retained experts who each praised the article — but in ways designed to help one side or the other. —Gene Maddaus, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024

She’s broken in many ways, but one of them is her fame and power and isolation. —Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024

Another way to mimic this effect is by using a kitchen colander. —Nollyanne Delacruz, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024

Seaweed farming, which uses only the sea, has the potential to redefine the future of protein production in an eco-friendly way, the company says. —Min Joo Kim, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024

The artwork’s future Nettleship, who now lives in California, has continued his work as a sculptor, always remaining true to his belief that sculpture should be felt and experienced in a variety of ways. —Michael Wells, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2024

Adjective

Customers rave about these bags for their perfect size, sturdiness, detachable bottom, and multi-way straps. —Kelsey Stiegman, Seventeen, 6 Dec. 2022

The multi-way stretch fabric truly moves with you while maintaining its compression. —Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 13 Sep. 2022

The durable approach and spacious, multi-way designs may seem to be best styled with a gorpcore jacket, hiking boots, and a scenic vista. —Halie Lesavage, Harper's BAZAAR, 19 July 2022

On its top plate there’s a brass multi-way controller incised with grooved concentric rings. —Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 15 June 2022

At a multi-way intersection, traffic lights and directional signage jostle for attention. —Mark Rozzo, The New Yorker, 12 May 2022

Whoever wins what is shaping up to be a multi-way race will confront critical decisions on Day 1. —Alison Dirr, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2022

Instead, Simpson donned protective gear and arranged a multi-way video call on her cellphone from Alvarado’s room. —Lauren Caruba, ExpressNews.com, 12 July 2020

Adverb

Get ready for a lobbying furor, because there’s suddenly a plausible, bipartisan, bicameral push to finally give the U.S. a comprehensive data-privacy law, going way beyond the protections for medical and children’s data that already apply country-wide. —David Meyer, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2024

Small kids can be way harder than people expect, with physical consequences to that struggle. —Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024

That is on display this week at Doral, where hotel occupancy is way up. —Eric Lipton, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024

The options go way beyond spermicide: The Population Council is working on a product that will modify the vagina’s acidity to stop sperm from swimming properly, Sitruk-Ware told me. —Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2024

What a young, talented actor and a great friend — gone way too soon. —Zack Sharf, Variety, 1 Apr. 2024

While still rife with modern-day slavery, the food and textiles industries have both been way ahead. —Chadd Scott, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

Photo : Audi Audi S6 The S6 is just like the A6 but better looking, nicer inside, and way quicker. —Kyle Hyatt, Robb Report, 27 Mar. 2024

As for this particular property, which was built way back in 1951 in collaboration with architects Bob Anshen and Steve Allen of Anshen & Allen, the single-story redwood and brick structure is tucked away on almost an acre of land laced with oak trees. —Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English weg; akin to Old High German weg way, Old English wegan to move, Latin vehere to carry, via way

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1836, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1833, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing way

• all the way
• across the way
• a long way
• American way
• along the way
• a long way to go
• a little goes a long way
• all this way
• clear the way
• claw one's way
• by way of explanation
• by way of illustration
• buy one's way
• by way of
• bluff one's way
• any way you cut it
• by the way
• a way to go
• bulldoze one's way
• any way you slice it
• every inch of the way
• eightfold way
• come a long way
• either way
• every inch/step of the way
• every step of the way
• family way
• feel one's way
• every which way
• find one's way
• fight one's way
• find a way into/to someone's heart
• four-way
• force one's way
• go all the way
• from way back
• get/stay/keep out of someone's/the way
• go out of one's way
• go one's own way
• go on one's merry way
• go either way
• go back a long way
• go a long way toward/towards
• go way back
• go someone's way
• go the way of all flesh
• have a way of (being something or doing something)
• harm's way
• have/get one's (own) way
• have a way with
• have one's way with
• have it one's (own) way
• in a bad way
• in a big way
• in any way, shape, or form
• in every way
• in a small way
• in no way
• In no way shape or form
• in the ordinary way
• in the way of
• inveigle one's way
• in the worst way
• laugh all the way to the bank
• know one's way around
• look the other way
• lead the way
• lose one's way
• make one's way
• make way
• not have to be that way
• muscle one's way
• one-way
• no way
• one-way mirror
• one-way ticket
• one way or another
• on someone's way out
• on the/someone's/something's way out
• open the way
• out of someone's way
• over the way
• pave the way
• pave the way for (something or someone)
• pay one's way
• pay one's own way
• smooth the way
• rub (someone) up the wrong way
• rub the wrong way
• right-of-way
• take something the wrong way
• talk one's way
• take the easy way out
• stand in the way
• see one's way (clear) to
• stand in someone's way
• that/this way
• talk one's way out of (something)
• that's the way the cookie crumbles
• that's the way it/life goes
• the American way
• that way
• the hard way
• the other way around
• the other way round
• the way it/life goes
• the way someone sees it
• the way/ways of the world
• the worst way
• the whole/entire way
• this way and that
• the way things are going
• three-way
• way to go
• way of life
• two-way mirror
• to someone's way of thinking
• work one's way
• wing one's way
• where there's a will, there's a way
• which way the wind is blowing
• be on one's merry way
• way-out
• grope one's way
• two-way street
• white way
• light the way
• pick one's way
• under way
• two-way
• way station
• point the way
• out of the way
• give way
• weasel his way into
• in a way
• on one's way
• the way
• weaseled his way out of
• in one's way
• on the way
• in the way

Kids Definition

way

1 of 2 noun

ˈwā 

1

a

: a track for travel : path

b

: an opening for passage (as through a crowd or a gate)

no way out

2

a

: a course traveled : route

b

: direction sense 3

come this way

the wrong way

3

a

: a course of action

chose the easy way

b

: opportunity or power of doing as one pleases

have your own way

c

: possibility sense 1

there are no two ways about it

4

a

: the manner in which something is done or happens

this way of thinking

a new way of painting

b

: a noticeable part or detail

a good worker in many ways

c

: state entry 1 sense 1a

the way things are

5

: a particular or typical manner of behavior

it's just his way

has a nice way with his pets

6

a

: distance entry 1 sense 1b

a short way down the road

b

: progress along a course

earning her way through school

made her way with difficulty

7

: locality

visit when you are out our way

8

: category sense 1

get what you need in the way of supplies

way

2 of 2 adverb

1

a

: far entry 1 sense 1

is way ahead of the class

b

: far entry 1 sense 2

ate way too much

c

: very entry 2 sense 2

way cool

2

: all the way

pull the switch way back