rapid transit

noun

: fast passenger transportation (as by subway) in urban areas

Examples of rapid transit in a Sentence

We'll use rapid transit to get from the airport to the hotel.
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.
Renderings show a nearly 17,000‑square‑foot plaza along Forbes, restaurant space at street level, event and exhibition areas and direct connections to a future bus rapid transit station. Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 30 June 2026 The Silver Line is a bus rapid transit system operating in dedicated tunnels. Michele Herrmann, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026 The law forces cities to approve taller apartment and condominium complexes around rail stops, ferry terminals and rapid transit bus stops, overriding local restrictions that might have stopped development in the past. Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026 Bus rapid transit comes in different flavors, but at its core it’s designed to make buses run like trains. John Aguilar, Denver Post, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for rapid transit

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rapid transit was in 1873

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rapid transit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rapid%20transit. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

rapid transit

noun
: fast public passenger transportation (as by subway) in cities

More from Merriam-Webster on rapid transit

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster