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

Dogs took to the runway Friday at Smith Village, bringing smiles to residents at the Beverly senior living community who came to watch the yearly pet parade. —Janice Neumann, Chicago Tribune, 12 July 2025

Well, that certainly puts you in the ranks of being a runway model. —Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 11 July 2025

Many houses are also awaiting official runway debuts from their new designers in September — among these include Chanel, Gucci, Balenciaga, Loewe, and Bottega Veneta. —Alice Pfeiffer, CNN Money, 11 July 2025

Remote sensors that measure runway visibility and digital weather data are widely used in addition to advanced radar systems. —Adrienne Bernhard, Scientific American, 10 July 2025

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