plural alleys
1
: a garden or park walk bordered by trees or bushes
2
a(1)
: a grassed enclosure for bowling or skittles
(2)
: a hardwood lane for bowling
also
: a room or building housing a group of such lanes
b
: the space on each side of a tennis doubles court between the sideline and the service sideline
c
: an area in a baseball outfield between two outfielders when they are in normal positions
hit a line drive into the alley
3
: a narrow street
especially
: a thoroughfare through the middle of a block giving access to the rear of lots or buildings
4
: an extensive region where destructive natural phenomena of a specified type (such as tornadoes) occur often or are likely to occur
The most obvious tornado alley extends from the plains of northwest Texas eastward into north Texas and then northward across Oklahoma, Kansas, and eastern Nebraska.—
Tom Konvicka
Tom KonvickaExamples of alley in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025
In body camera and security footage from the shooting, Covington Officer Wade Webster is seen being flagged down by an employee at the nearby Hotel Covington before finding Davis in an alley less than a block from the bank.
—David Ferrara, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
His budget includes $30 million for paving, $2 million for sidewalks and $1 million for alleys — in addition to the $3 million East End Infrastructure Improvement Fund.
—Eleanor McCrary, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
On June 27, the man was hanging out with his 17-year-old brother in a group in an alley near their home, according to a June 30 Facebook post by the Roswell Police Department.
—Paloma Chavez
july 2, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for alley
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Noun
Proximity to low water crossings and flash flood alley also increased risk.
—Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025
In body camera and security footage from the shooting, Covington Officer Wade Webster is seen being flagged down by an employee at the nearby Hotel Covington before finding Davis in an alley less than a block from the bank.
—David Ferrara, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
His budget includes $30 million for paving, $2 million for sidewalks and $1 million for alleys — in addition to the $3 million East End Infrastructure Improvement Fund.
—Eleanor McCrary, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
On June 27, the man was hanging out with his 17-year-old brother in a group in an alley near their home, according to a June 30 Facebook post by the Roswell Police Department.
—Paloma Chavez
july 2, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for alley
Cite this Entry
“Alley.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alley. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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