pave

1 of 2

verb

paved; paving

transitive verb

1
: to lay or cover with material (such as asphalt or concrete) that forms a firm level surface for travel
2
: to cover firmly and solidly as if with paving material
3
: to serve as a covering or pavement of

pavé

2 of 2

adjective

pa·​vé pa-ˈvā How to pronounce pavé (audio)
variants or less commonly pavéed or pavéd or pave
of jewels
: set as close together as possible to conceal a metal base
Phrases
pave the way
: to prepare a smooth easy way : facilitate development

Examples of pave in a Sentence

Verb The crew was paving the road. Some of the roads were paved over. The driveway is paved with concrete. It was said that this country was so rich, the streets were paved with gold.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Verb
Development teams can phase construction to minimize disruption, while design specialists ensure today’s adjustments pave the way for tomorrow’s vision. Kristin Mueller, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025 Such declarations pave the way for emergency measures and resources that allow officials to respond quickly during emergencies. Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025 The drug is not yet available, but new study results could pave the way for a new treatment option for hypertension. Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025 The Puerto Rican star is credited with being one of the artists to pave the way for other Latin artists to make the crossover, and was honored with a trophy for his music career. Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 7 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pave

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French paver, from Latin pavire to strike, pound; perhaps akin to Greek paiein to strike

Adjective

pavé from French, from past participle of paver to pave

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1903, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pave was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pave. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

pave

verb
paved; paving
: to lay or cover with material (as stone or concrete) that forms a firm level surface for travel

More from Merriam-Webster on pave

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