drawbridge

noun

draw·​bridge ˈdrȯ-ˌbrij 

: a bridge made to be raised up, let down, or drawn aside so as to permit or hinder passage see castle illustration

Illustration of drawbridge

Examples of drawbridge in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Some drawbridges may be up for longer than usual as well. —Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2026

Step over a moat-spanning drawbridge and through a stone entry gate and you will be transported into a medieval fantasy, with secret rooms, trick mirrors, a full-size musk ox (don’t worry, it’s stuffed) and, of course, dragons. —Mark Lamster architecture Critic, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026

Currently, freight trains and Brightline passenger trains rely on a single-leaf bascule drawbridge to cross the New River. —Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 9 Feb. 2026

The drawbridge — which connects Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and Long Island City, Queens, across Newton Creek — was jammed as traffic piled up on its northbound side. —Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for drawbridge

• abridge
• footbridge
• oxbridge
• bridge
• fridge
• midge
• ridge

Kids Definition

drawbridge

noun

draw·​bridge -ˌbrij 

: a bridge made to be wholly or partly raised up, let down, or drawn aside so as to permit or prevent passage