one-way

adjective

ˈwən-ˈwā 

1

: that moves in or allows movement in only one direction

a one-way street

2

: one-sided, unilateral

a one-way conversation

3

: that functions in only one of two or more ways

Examples of one-way in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Many clinics require patients to show up in person every single day, with average one-way drive times approaching 50 minutes in rural communities. — Yashaswini Singh, The Conversation, 28 Oct. 2026

This is just a normal part of growing older, according to conventional wisdom, as if aging were a one-way street of physical decline. — Leana S. Wen, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026

We are switched on to the point of no return, and as a result, most working folk are on a one-way ticket to burnout-ville. — Luke Abrahams, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026

At the Colorado event, competitive testing of one-way attack drones was conducted. — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 27 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for one-way

• aaa
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• axillae
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway

Kids Definition

one-way

adjective

1

: moving or allowing movement in one direction only

2

: one-sided sense 1b