road

noun

1
a
: an open way for vehicles, persons, and animals
especially : one lying outside of an urban district : highway
2
: roadstead
often used in plural
3
: a route or way to an end, conclusion, or circumstance
on the road to success
4
5
: a series of scheduled visits or appearances (such as games or performances) in several locations or the travel necessary to make these visits
the team is on the road
on tour with the musical's road company
roadless adjective
Phrases
down the road
: in or into the future

Examples of road in a Sentence

We'll cross the road up ahead at the crosswalk. He drove off the road. We parked by the side of the road. There are lots of cars on the road this morning. These country roads are beautiful. a desolate stretch of road Miles of road lay ahead. The cabin is accessible by road.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding. Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 8 Nov. 2025 If there is no parking lot or driveway to pull into, pull your vehicle off to the side of the road as far as possible. Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 8 Nov. 2025 How electrical roads work Electrical roads supply energy wirelessly or through conductive rails embedded in the pavement. Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2025 There were also reports of roads icing over, making driving difficult in the region. Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 1 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for road

Word History

Etymology

Middle English rode, from Old English rād ride, journey; akin to Old English rīdan to ride

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Road.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/road. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

road

noun
1
: roadstead
often used in plural
2
a
: an open way for vehicles, persons, and animals
3
: path sense 2b
the road to success
4
5
: a series of visits to several places or the travel necessary to get there
the team plays five games on the road
traveled with the road company of the play

More from Merriam-Webster on road

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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