fairway

noun

fair·​way ˈfer-ˌwā How to pronounce fairway (audio)
1
a
: a navigable part of a river, bay, or harbor
b
: an open path or space
2
: the closely mowed part of a golf course between a tee and a green

Examples of fairway in a Sentence

Her shot landed at the left side of the fairway.
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.
Golf has long been the go-to playground for big names, where often legends like Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Donald Trump, and Steph Curry trade stadium lights for fairways and friendly banter. Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 June 2025 No car traffic, horns or other urban sounds; just fresh air, lush green fairways, lovely buildings and a big crowd loving it all. Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 26 June 2025 The course features narrow fairways and primary rough that will range from 3.5 to 5 inches during the tournament. Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 23 June 2025 Justin Thomas started the day in a first-place tie, but fell back quickly and found himself, like U.S. Open winner J.J. Spaun a day earlier, retrieving his ball from the Providence & Worcester Railroad tracks running behind the 13th fairway and quadruple-bogeyed out of contention. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 21 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for fairway

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of fairway was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fairway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fairway. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

fairway

noun
fair·​way ˈfa(ə)r-ˌwā How to pronounce fairway (audio)
ˈfe(ə)r-
: the mowed part of a golf course between a tee and a green

More from Merriam-Webster on fairway

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!