: 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
railroaded; railroading; railroads
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
: to work for a railroad company
railroader
noun
Examples of railroad in a Sentence
Noun
that railroad hasn't been used for passenger trains for decades
Verb
a controversial law that is being railroaded through Congress
a bill that was railroaded into law
They claim she was railroaded.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 27 June 2025
The project faces several challenges, including the need for capital investment and coordination with freight railroads that own much of the track used by MARC trains.
—Todd Karpovich, Baltimore Sun, 26 June 2025
Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 12 June 2025
Things go from pretty awful to grim as hell when Andy’s girlfriend, Delia (Meredith Holzman), who Crawford had tried to railroad into being found guilty to sidestep any potential suspicion headed his way, guns him down on the courthouse steps on the day of Crawford’s nomination.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for railroad
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Although not a major city, Pokrovsk sits on a key supply road and railroad that connect it with other military hubs in the area.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 27 June 2025
The project faces several challenges, including the need for capital investment and coordination with freight railroads that own much of the track used by MARC trains.
—Todd Karpovich, Baltimore Sun, 26 June 2025
Verb
Four innocent guys railroaded, two sent to Death Row.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 12 June 2025
Things go from pretty awful to grim as hell when Andy’s girlfriend, Delia (Meredith Holzman), who Crawford had tried to railroad into being found guilty to sidestep any potential suspicion headed his way, guns him down on the courthouse steps on the day of Crawford’s nomination.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for railroad
Cite this Entry
“Railroad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/railroad. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
railroad
1 of 2 noun
rail·road
ˈrā(ə)l-ˌrōd 
1
: a permanent road that has parallel steel rails which make a track for cars
2
: a railroad together with the lands, buildings, locomotives, cars, and other equipment that belong to it
railroad
2 of 2 verb1
a
: to send by railroad
b
: to work on a railroad
2
a
: to push (as a bill) through a legislature in a rush
b
: to convict and send to prison without much evidence or by means of false charges
railroader
noun
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