fairway

noun

fair·​way ˈfer-ˌwā 

1

a

: a navigable part of a river, bay, or harbor

b

: an open path or space

2

: the closely mowed part of a golf course between a tee and a green

Examples of fairway in a Sentence

Her shot landed at the left side of the fairway.

Recent Examples on the Web

Incredibly, the Englishman hit 83 percent of his fairways everywhere else on the course for the week. —Justin Ray, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026

His meltdown came early when Thorbjornsen pitched out from the thick rough left of the fourth fairway, put his wedge into the water and then three-putted from 10 feet for a quadruple-bogey 8. —ABC News, 15 Mar. 2026

After a free drop, his wedge from an awkward lie hit the thick of a palm tree and plopped into the fairway. —Dallas Morning News, 13 Mar. 2026

Known as Hale Ohi‘a, the palatial residence sits on roughly two-thirds of an acre along the resort’s 12th fairway, where views stretch toward the Pacific and the volcanic peaks of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 9 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for fairway

• airway
• allay
• archway
• array
• ashtray
• astray
• aue
• away
• ballet
• belay
• beltway
• beret

Kids Definition

fairway

noun

fair·​way ˈfa(ə)r-ˌwā 

ˈfe(ə)r-

: the mowed part of a golf course between a tee and a green