expressway

noun

ik-ˈspres-ˌwā How to pronounce expressway (audio)
Definition of expresswaynext
as in highway
a passage cleared for public vehicular travel a baffling maze of high-speed expressways encircles the city

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 expressway Dramatic video shows a loose tire flying across Interstate 76 before slamming into an SUV on the westbound Schuylkill expressway near the Girard avenue exit in Philadelphia. — Cherise Lynch, NBC news, 31 July 2026 When completed, the roughly 15-mile expressway will link Highway 65 in western Placer County with state highways 70 and 99 in southern Sutter County. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026 About two thirds is south of Interstate 595 and one third north of the expressway. — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 25 June 2026 The alert triggered temporary closures along a major highway, the Décarie expressway, as well as a temporary shutdown of significant sections of two subway lines. — ABC News, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for expressway
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expressway
  1. highway
  2. freeway
  3. road
  4. thoroughfare
  5. street
  6. route
  7. carriageway
  8. roadway
Noun
  • The town closest to the earthquake’s epicenter, San Jose del Palmar, has no airport, and is located on top of a mountain ridge along a highway linking the cities of Cali and Pereira.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Then off to the highway with you, up a mountain hill, in full control and at one with this rude, loud, hot machine.
    — Josh Max, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of highway
Noun
  • The driver exited the freeway near Sherman Oaks before entering a mall parking garage.
    — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Cobb County drivers experienced four long lasting, multilane freeway incidents in the same morning.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of freeway
Noun
  • Heavy deposits could collapse roofs, contaminate water, damage machinery, bury crops, disrupt power networks, and make roads difficult to use.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Torrential downpours routinely inundate roads and railway lines, disrupt air and rail traffic.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of road
Noun
  • For example, in the San Fernando Valley, a person could leave the car at home when in walking proximity to bus lines on major thoroughfares, such as Line 165 on Vanowen Street that connects Burbank to West Hills.
    — Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Much of the action centers on Warren Street, a lively main thoroughfare lined with independent boutiques, art galleries, vintage shops, bookstores, cafés, and farm-to-table eateries.
    — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of thoroughfare
Noun
  • Petit Ermitage is an intimate boutique hotel on a quiet residential street in West Hollywood.
    — Stephan Rabimov, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • And when interstates back up, the adjacent surface streets do, too.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of street
Noun
  • The other four switched off their tracking transponders to avoid detection so their route is unknown.
    — Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Quarterback Tommy DeVito looked to him on a go route on the very next play, but Williams didn’t cut back inside for the ball, which appeared to frustrate Vrabel on the sideline.
    — Chad Graff, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of route
Noun
  • The man had exited an ambulance that stopped to provide further treatment on the northbound carriageway between Weston-super-Mare and Clevedon while taking him to the hospital.
    — Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 2 Dec. 2025
  • Two Turkey fans stood in the middle of a three-lane carriageway.
    — James Horncastle, The Athletic, 6 July 2024
Definition of carriageway
Noun
  • Bicycle advocates are calling for immediate changes to local roads and bike infrastructure after 10 bicyclists have been killed on Sacramento-area roadways so far this year.
    — James Taylor, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Prior to his car going off the roadway, investigators have not ruled out the possibility that Howard suffered a medical episode, according to the release.
    — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of roadway

Browse Nearby Words

expressly
expressway
expressways
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Expressway.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expressway. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on expressway

Nglish: Translation of expressway for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about expressway

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of circumscribe

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All