straightaway

noun

straight·​away ˈstrā-tə-ˌwā 

: a straight course: such as

a

: the straight part of a closed racecourse : stretch

b

: a straight and unimpeded stretch of road or way

Examples of straightaway in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

NASCARs hit speeds over 200 miles per hour on tracks with long straightaways that allow drivers to accelerate to top speeds without slowing down for safety purposes. —Charles Singh, USA Today, 23 May 2026

From 100 meters to the 150-meter mark, exiting the curve onto the straightaway of the track, Gout starts to close that gap. —Will Croxton, CBS News, 10 May 2026

High-level players will basically always be in a drift—even during straightaways—to seize every opportunity to boost, just like people who were disgustingly good at Mario Kart DS back in the day. —Adam Ismail, The Drive, 29 Apr. 2026

Unlike the more familiar flat races like the Preakness, there are no straightaways or predictable turns. —Michael Howes, Baltimore Sun, 11 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for straightaway

• aaa
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• axillae
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway

Kids Definition

straightaway

1 of 3 adjective

straight·​away ˈstrāt-ə-ˌwā 

1

: proceeding in a straight line : continuous in direction : straightforward

2

: immediate sense 4

made a straightaway reply

straightaway

2 of 3 noun

: the straight part of a racetrack : stretch

straightaway

3 of 3 adverb

straight·​away ˌstrāt-ə-ˈwā 

: without delay : immediately

found an answer straightaway