1
: a little traveled side road
2
: a secondary or little known aspect or field
… meandering more and more in the fascinating byways of learning.—
The Times Literary Supplement (London)
The Times Literary Supplement (London)Examples of byway in a Sentence
I prefer to take byways to town.
He's traveled the highways and byways of this country.
the byways of the art world
The book chronicles some of the interesting byways of legal history.
Recent Examples on the Web
These paths, like the rest of the book’s warren of byways, take us nowhere.
—Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2026
In addition to allowing people to reach great heights without leaving their car — or having a four-wheel drive vehicle — the byway is notoriously scenic, offering ongoing views of juniper hills and open meadows, followed by views of the Continental Divide and the entire Front Range.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 22 Apr. 2026
Lupines flourish in ditches and on highway embankments—especially north of Duluth along Highway 61, the Minnesota scenic byway that traces Lake Superior's north shore.
—Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Midwest Living, 20 Apr. 2026
The 24-mile scenic byway, which crosses from Georgetown south over the pass to Grant, typically opens over Memorial Day weekend, as do many other high mountain passes in Colorado.
—Jonathan Shikes, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for byway
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Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2026
In addition to allowing people to reach great heights without leaving their car — or having a four-wheel drive vehicle — the byway is notoriously scenic, offering ongoing views of juniper hills and open meadows, followed by views of the Continental Divide and the entire Front Range.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 22 Apr. 2026
Lupines flourish in ditches and on highway embankments—especially north of Duluth along Highway 61, the Minnesota scenic byway that traces Lake Superior's north shore.
—Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Midwest Living, 20 Apr. 2026
The 24-mile scenic byway, which crosses from Georgetown south over the pass to Grant, typically opens over Memorial Day weekend, as do many other high mountain passes in Colorado.
—Jonathan Shikes, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for byway
Cite this Entry
“Byway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/byway. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
byway
noun
by·way
ˈbī-ˌwā 
: a little-traveled side road
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