runway

noun

run·​way ˈrən-ˌwā How to pronounce runway (audio)
1
a
: a beaten path made by animals
b
: a passageway for animals
2
: a paved strip of ground on a landing field for the landing and takeoff of aircraft
3
a
: a narrow platform from a stage into an auditorium
b
: a platform along which models walk in a fashion show
4
5
: the area or path along which a jumper, pole-vaulter, or javelin thrower runs

Examples of runway in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Days later, Kendall Jenner was one of the first to take the look from the runway to the streets. Luz García, Glamour, 23 Nov. 2023 Prepare to see a lot more celebrities wearing shoes that could be mistaken for slippers, as the spring 2024 runways were filled with various iterations of the house shoe. Emma Spedding, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2023 Aircraft expert Peter Forman told Hawaii News Now the runway at the base is shorter, and bad weather and winds may also have played a part. CBS News, 21 Nov. 2023 Fassbender plays the hit man like a runway model — photogenic but blank, an automaton’s version of Kevin Spacey’s hammy villain in Se7en. Armond White, National Review, 17 Nov. 2023 The shoe’s debut was seen on the Jean Paul Gaultier runway in 2021 when sacai was Jean Paul Gaultier’s first guest designer. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 17 Nov. 2023 The eleven-time Emmy winner has made a habit of slaying on his reality show’s runway countless times. Anna Tingley, Variety, 16 Nov. 2023 Beckinsale wore a sparkling strapless mini dress from the The Blonds fall 2023 runway collection, which was decorated with dazzling embellishments and a large rectangular sapphire-like adornment placed on the belt. Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 14 Nov. 2023 Humane revealed the device’s look and basic functions, including web search and object identification, at the TED conference and in a Paris fashion week runway show earlier this year. WIRED, 9 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'runway.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of runway was in 1828

Dictionary Entries Near runway

Cite this Entry

“Runway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/runway. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

runway

noun
run·​way ˈrən-ˌwā How to pronounce runway (audio)
1
2
: a paved strip of ground (as at an airport) for the landing and takeoff of aircraft
3
: a support (as a track, pipe, or trough) on which something runs
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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