subway

noun

sub·​way ˈsəb-ˌwā 

: an underground way: such as

a

: a passage under a street (as for pedestrians, power cables, or water or gas mains)

b

: a usually electric underground railway

c

: underpass

subway intransitive verb

Examples of subway in a Sentence

I took the subway to midtown.

No one on the subway seemed to mind how crowded it was.

I've been on both the New York subway and the Underground in London.

Recent Examples on the Web

Some of the ferries cost as much as a subway trip—and run almost as frequently. — Riza Cruz, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2026

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs the subway system, referred questions about the incident to police. — ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026

Work continues in Boston to rehab the oldest subway system in the country. — Brandon Truitt, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026

Lojo walked toward the Hilton Passageway, originally built to connect the 1, 2, and 3 subway lines to the Hotel Pennsylvania, once the largest hotel in the world. — Anand Giridharadas, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing subway

• subway train

Rhymes for subway

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

Kids Definition

subway

noun

sub·​way ˈsəb-ˌwā 

1

: an underground passage

2

: a usually electric underground railway