lane

noun \ ˈlān \

|Updated on: 22 Jun 2018

Examples: lane in a Sentence

Definition of lane

1 : a narrow passageway between fences or hedges

2 : a relatively narrow way or track: such as

a : an ocean route used by or prescribed for ships

b : a strip of roadway for a single line of vehicles

c : air lane

d : any of several parallel courses on a track or swimming pool in which a competitor must stay during a race

e : an unmarked lengthwise division of a playing area which defines the playing zone of a particular player

f : a narrow hardwood surface having pins at one end and a gutter along each side that is used in bowling

g : free throw lane

See lane defined for English-language learners

See lane defined for kids

Examples of lane in a Sentence

The truck's driver kept changing lanes.
She moved to the outside lane.

Recent Examples of lane from the Web

According to court records, the DPS received a call around 1:50 a.m. about a driver traveling south in the northbound lanes on Loop 101 near Ray Road.

— kelsey mo, azcentral, "Officials ID wrong-way driver who crashed into wall on Loop 101 in Chandler," 19 June 2018
The crash happened in the southbound lanes near mile-marker 250 about 9:45 p.m. A construction vehicle with a hydraulic lift bucket drove into the path of a Ford Edge driven by 62-year-old Susan Bagaas, FHP spokeswoman Lt.

— michael williams, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Construction accident kills 1, injures 2 on Florida's Turnpike, troopers say," 19 June 2018
DUI Laila Al Lamadani, 38, of the 300 block of Green Valley Drive, Naperville, was charged with driving under the influence and improper lane use at 1:33 a.m. June 10 at North Avenue and Route 83.

— graydon megan, chicagotribune.com, "Elmhurst blotter: Chicago man escapes from police car, prompting K-9 search," 15 June 2018
Today, yachts dock in the harbor, but you can still get lost in the narrow lanes, where donkeys transport goods.

— laura itzkowitz, GQ, "Skip Santorini and Head to These Lesser-Known Greek Islands Instead," 14 June 2018
People riding scooters are zipping along Charlotte sidewalks and streets past pedestrians and sometimes in lanes of traffic.

— bruce henderson, charlotteobserver, "'Saw a guy riding down the sidewalk... texting on his phone.' Here come the scooters.," 14 June 2018
The 800 is the shortest race where everyone has to jockey for position on the track (the 400 meters is run entirely in lanes), so positioning at the cut-in point, roughly 100 meters into the race, is crucial.

— alex hutchinson, Outside Online, "The Art of Pacing Is More Complicated Than You Think," 14 June 2018
The crash occurred at 7:06 a.m. June 3 on Florida’s Turnpike as a white Cadillac SUV driven by Stephen A. Dos Santos approached the toll booths in the northbound lanes.

— fredrick kunkle, Washington Post, "Passenger is ejected from vehicle in violent crash — and somehow lives to tell about it," 13 June 2018
Cities have a chance to do the same with the current influx of scooters and dockless systems and invest in more car-free travel lanes while regulating curb access.

— patrick sisson, Curbed, "As scooters and transit startups takeover, cities need to realize the value of the infrastructure they already control," 13 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lane.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of lane

Middle English, from Old English lanu; akin to Middle Dutch lane lane

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

lane

Definition of lane

Scottish variant of lone

Lane

biographical name \ ˈlān \

Definition of Lane

Edward William 1801–1876 English orientalist

LANE Defined for English Language Learners

lane

noun

Definition of lane for English Language Learners

: a narrow road or path
: a part of road that is marked by painted lines and that is for a single line of vehicles
: a narrow part of a track or swimming pool that is used by a single runner or swimmer in a race