Underground Railroad

noun

variants or less commonly Underground Railway
: a system of cooperation among active antislavery people in the U.S. before 1863 by which people escaping enslavement were secretly helped to reach the North or Canada

Examples of Underground Railroad in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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People seeking refuge from slavery crossed into Kansas by way of Quindaro, and the town gained recognition as a safe haven along the Underground Railroad. Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 15 Mar. 2026 The secret turned out to be Harriet Powell, a fugitive from slavery on her way to Canada—Smith’s house was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Moira Donegan, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026 In a cave that sheltered freedom seekers along the Underground Railroad, their uncle shares a story of a creature that stirs at night. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026 The upper portion of the Rim Rock Trail meanders past remains of an ancient stone wall built by Native Americans, while the lower trail takes hikers by Ox-Lot Cave, a natural overhang that reportedly served as a stop on the Underground Railroad. Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for Underground Railroad

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Underground Railroad was in 1842

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Cite this Entry

“Underground Railroad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Underground%20Railroad. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

Underground Railroad

noun
: a system of cooperation among active antislavery people in the U.S. before 1863 by which people escaping enslavement were secretly helped to reach the North or Canada

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