railroad

noun rail·road \ ˈrāl-ˌrōd , ˈrel- ; ˈre-ˌrōd \

|Updated on: 10 Jun 2018

Definition of railroad

: a permanent road having a line of rails fixed to ties and laid on a roadbed and providing a track for cars or equipment drawn by locomotives or propelled by self-contained motors; also : such a road and its assets constituting a single property

See railroad defined for English-language learners

See railroad defined for kids

Examples of railroad in a Sentence

that railroad hasn't been used for passenger trains for decades

Recent Examples of railroad from the Web

Ah, the abandoned railroad bridges of eastern Connecticut.

— peter marteka, courant.com, "Hop River Trail's Railroad Bridge Will Soon Get New Life With Hiking Traffic," 27 May 2018
In 1869, a golden spike was driven in Promontory, Utah, marking the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States.

— azcentral, "AZ Memo: Gilbert growth brings 7 town projects; ballot-harvesting ban upheld; was your child's coach background checked?," 10 May 2018
The cities and counties own the 37 miles of the Nickel Plate railroad in Indianapolis and Hamilton County and the joint HHPA manages it.

— john tuohy, Indianapolis Star, "Transportation museum says Noblesville wants to steal its trains," 7 May 2018
Arrival of the first railroad in 1877, establishment of Brooks and Kelly fields during World War I and the 1939-1941 construction of the downtown River Walk further shaped the city’s identity.

— scott huddleston, San Antonio Express-News, "San Antonio’s ‘birthday week’ begins Tuesday," 30 Apr. 2018
In fact, the Back Bay dam sparked immediate sanitary complaints, and railroad bridges constructed across the bay exacerbated the problem.

— courtney humphries, BostonGlobe.com, "Boston vs. the rising tide," 28 Apr. 2018
One reported seeing Calderon on the ground near a concrete pillar under the railroad bridge.

— hannah leone, Aurora Beacon-News, "Aurora man killed in shootout with police had complicated history," 11 Apr. 2018
Plans also include a roundabout at Bay Boulevard and the transformation of an unused railroad bridge above Interstate 5 into a pathway for pedestrians and bicyclists.

— david hernandez, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Chula Vista plans to revamp F Street," 20 Mar. 2018
According to representatives of the railroad industry, it was changed to prevent accidents and increase public safety.

— paul a. smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Smith: Railroad crossing law needlessly restricts hunters and anglers," 10 Mar. 2018

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

First Known Use of railroad

1757

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

railroad Synonyms

Synonyms

rail, railway, road;

Related Words

el, elevated, elevated railroad;

monorail;

railroad

verb

Definition of railroad

railroaded; railroading; railroads

transitive verb

1 a : to convict with undue haste and by means of false charges or insufficient evidence

b : to push through hastily or without due consideration

2 : to transport by railroad

intransitive verb

: to work for a railroad company

—

railroader

noun

See railroad defined for English-language learners

Examples of railroad in a Sentence

a controversial law that is being railroaded through Congress
a bill that was railroaded into law
They claim she was railroaded.

Recent Examples of railroad from the Web

According to Schrems and his NOYB group, Google and Facebook are railroading users in this way.

— david meyer, Fortune, "Activists Are Already Targeting Google and Facebook Over Europe's New Data Privacy Law That Went Live Today," 25 May 2018
Police reports show a marijuana possession charge for Milby and an arrest for criminal trespass to railroad property.

— crimesider staff, CBS News, "Dixon High School shooting: Mom of suspected gunman says he was bullied and beaten," 17 May 2018
Why did McCall, who loved nothing more than brutalizing and convicting African-Americans, decide to railroad a helpless white man who clearly had nothing to do with the crime?

— douglas perry, OregonLive.com, "Pride, prejudice make injustice inevitable in brutal 1950s Florida: 'Beneath a Ruthless Sun' review," 27 Apr. 2018
The Russia probe isn't the first time Mueller and his pals have been accused of trying to railroad a big name politician.

— Fox News, "Trump signs religious liberty executive order," 5 May 2018
Our Mary O’Grady has been telling you about the Bitkovs—Igor, Irina and Anastasia—who were railroaded to prison in Guatemala.

— the editorial board, WSJ, "Victory for the Bitkovs," 26 Apr. 2018
Well, his wife is saying that he was railroaded by Mueller and Comey's bestfriend.

— Fox News, "Trump signs religious liberty executive order," 5 May 2018
After all, this is the story of a crooked Southern sheriff railroading a white man.

— New York Times, "How a Racist Sheriff Railroaded a Disabled Teenager and Got Off," 3 May 2018
That Comey isn’t railroading obscure black ministers in Virginia while letting rich white celebrities off the hook in Connecticut is surely laudable.

— matthew yglesias, Vox, "James Comey isn’t the hero we deserve. But he’s the hero we need," 18 Apr. 2018

First Known Use of railroad

1829

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

RAILROAD Defined for English Language Learners

railroad

noun

Definition of railroad for English Language Learners

: a system of tracks on which trains travel
: a company that owns and operates trains

railroad

verb

Definition of railroad for English Language Learners

: to force (something) to be officially approved or accepted without much discussion or thought
: to convict (someone) of a crime unfairly
: to force (someone) into doing something quickly or without enough information