runway

noun

run·​way ˈrən-ˌwā 

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

: run sense 10b

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

Bella, Alana's younger sister, also made a Fashion Week runway appearance this year, walking for Prada in Milan. —Meg Walters, InStyle, 7 Mar. 2026

On the runway, her look really is shockingly well-made for the fact that it’s made of scraps. —Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2026

The drone carrier, the IRIS Shahid Bagheri, is a converted container ship with a 180-yard-long runway for drones. —Arkansas Online, 6 Mar. 2026

But 12 months is a lot of runway for a young player whose all-court ingenuity, appetite for improvement and ability to shed setbacks have generated lift. —Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for runway

• airway
• allay
• archway
• array
• ashtray
• astray
• aue
• away
• ballet
• belay
• beltway
• beret

Kids Definition

runway

noun

run·​way ˈrən-ˌwā 

1

: run entry 2 sense 9a

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