route

play

noun \ ˈrüt , ˈrau̇t \

Updated on: 11 Sep 2017

Definition of route

1 a :a traveled way :highway

the main route north

b :a means of access :channel

the route to social mobility
—T. F. O'Dea

2 :a line of travel :course

3 a :an established or selected course of travel or action

b :an assigned territory to be systematically covered

a newspaper route

See route defined for English-language learners

See route defined for kids

Examples of route in a Sentence

We didn't know what route to take.
an escape route in case of fire
a major bird migratory route
You could take a different route and still arrive at the same conclusion.
Take Route 2 into town.
We live on a rural route.

Recent Examples of route from the Web

The crossing sits along a 900-kilometer (560-mile) trade route linking Jordan’s capital, Amman, and Iraq’s capital, Baghdad.

— karin laub, The Seattle Times, "Jordan, Iraq reopen border crossing, vital to trade," 30 Aug. 2017
The officer was on patrol at the time but was not in route to a call, according to the sheriff's department.

— becky jacobs, Post-Tribune, "Gary officer treated for minor injuries after crash," 30 Aug. 2017
Tickets for the new route are available now through the airline’s website.

— lisa beebe, Los Angeles Magazine, "LAX is Getting Hong Kong Airlines’ First Nonstop Flight to the Continental U.S.," 30 Aug. 2017
Conservative legislators won an appeal to the Constitutional Court, ultimately compelling Bachelet to switch to a legislative route.

— susan franceschet, Washington Post, "Chile’s president is a woman — and she just scored a major policy victory for women. Here’s why that matters.," 30 Aug. 2017
Allegiant will then serve eight routes in and out of Louisville with most of the other destinations in the southeast United States.

— sheldon s. shafer, The Courier-Journal, "Looking to go to Las Vegas? Allegiant adding flights from Louisville to Sin City," 24 Aug. 2017
U.S. government personnel are allowed to travel during daylight hours to Saltillo, Bosques de Monterreal, and Parras de la Fuente, using the most direct routes and maximizing the use of toll highways.

— leada gore, AL.com, "Mexico travel warning: State Department cautions tourists about violence in Cancun, Cozumel and more," 24 Aug. 2017
En route to his nervous breakdown in 1969, a sublime melancholia crept into his playing.

— philip montoro, Chicago Reader, "Cheer-Accident mastermind Thymme Jones on the upside of Herb Alpert’s nervous breakdown," 22 Aug. 2017
Each year the district invites soon-to-be pupils and their parents into a school to learn about bus transportation, safe walking routes to school and the school lunch program and after-school programs.

— suzanne baker, Naperville Sun, "Kindergarten Preview Day aims to ease fears of kids and parents alike," 17 Aug. 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of route

Middle English rute, route, borrowed from Anglo-French rute, going back to Vulgar Latin *rupta (short for *rupta via, literally, "broken way, forced passage," after Latin viam rumpere "to force a passage"), from feminine of ruptus, past participle of rumpere "to break, burst," going back to Indo-European *ru-n-p-, nasal present formation from the base *reu̯p- "break, tear" — more at reave

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

route Synonyms

Synonyms

arterial, artery, avenue, boulevard, carriageway [British], drag, drive, expressway, freeway, high road, highway, pass, pike, road, roadway, way, row, street, thoroughfare, thruway, trace, turnpike

Related Words

causeway; autobahn, autoroute, autostrada, dual carriageway [chiefly British], interstate, motorway [chiefly British], superhighway; beltway, bypass, parkway, ring road [chiefly British]; corniche, switchback; through street; high street [British], Main Street; backstreet, branch, bystreet, byway, crossroad, secondary road, shunpike, side road, side street; alley, alleyway; circle, lane, laneway [British], mews [chiefly British], place; close [chiefly British], cul-de-sac, dead end; corridor; track, trail

route

verb

Definition of route

routed; routing

transitive verb

1 :to send by a selected route :direct

was routed along the scenic shore road

2 :to divert in a specified direction

See route defined for English-language learners

Examples of route in a Sentence

Traffic was routed around the accident.
When the doctor is out, his calls are routed to his answering service.

Recent Examples of route from the Web

Recent municipal highway tunneling projects in Boston and Seattle devolved into massively expensive and time-consuming boondoggles, which should make Chicago think twice before enlisting Musk to dig a much longer route to O'Hare.

— john greenfield, Chicago Reader, "Elon Musk’s tunnel vision for Chicago is more like a pipe dream," 11 July 2017
A detour also remains in effect on Wisner Boulevard that will route lakebound traffic to Desaix Boulevard and St. Bernard Avenue.

— wilborn p. nobles iii, NOLA.com, "Here are the traffic hotspots for the Running of the Bulls weekend," 7 July 2017
Detour signage for eastbound traffic will be posted near N. Lake Drive and will route traffic to E. Wyoming Place and N. Terrace Ave., according to a a news release from the DPW.

— jesse garza, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Eastbound E. North Ave. at North Point Water Tower circle in Milwaukee to be closed Monday," 23 June 2017
Though there are several alternative routes still up for debate, SDG&E’s first choice would be to route the pipeline from Rainbow to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar via primarily existing streets, including Pomerado Road.

— jessica king, Pomerado News, "Gas pipeline comment period ends June 12," 2 June 2017
Chicago also lost six straight games in Houston and Pittsburgh that May en route to its 101-loss season.

— jeff sanders, sandiegouniontribune.com, "First pitch: Padres seeking first sweep of season," 31 May 2017
Thus, shipping companies prefer to route vessels to ports near major consumer markets.

— michael a. pollock, WSJ, "Shipping Companies’ Alliances Stir Fear Among Farmers," 14 May 2017
Starzl's other accomplishments included inventing a way to route the blood supply around the liver during surgery to make possible the marathon hours required to complete operations involving that complex organ.

— CBS News, "Thomas Starzl, liver transplant surgical pioneer, dead at 90," 5 Mar. 2017

Origin and Etymology of route

derivative of ¹route

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1832

See Words from the same year

route Synonyms

Synonyms

conduct, direct, guide, marshal (also marshall), pilot, lead, show, steer, usher

Antonyms

follow, trail

Related Words

precede; accompany, attend, chaperone (or chaperon), convoy, escort, see; control, manage

Near Antonyms

dog, hound, shadow, tail, tailgate

ROUTE Defined for English Language Learners

route

play

noun

Definition of route for English Language Learners

: a way to get from one place to another place
: a way that someone or something regularly travels along
: a way of achieving or doing something

route

verb

Definition of route for English Language Learners

: to send (someone or something) along a particular route

ROUTE Defined for Kids

route

play

noun \ ˈrüt , ˈrau̇t \

Definition of route for Students

:a regular, chosen, or assigned course of travel

route

verb

Definition of route for Students

routed; routing

:to send or transport by a selected course

Headscratcher for route

Routed and detour are spelled with the same letters and have related meanings. When drivers follow a detour because a street is closed, they are routed through different streets that take them to their destination.