subway

noun sub·way \ ˈsəb-ˌwā \

Definition of subway

: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

See subway defined for English-language learners

See subway defined for kids

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 of subway from the Web

First Deputy Superintendent Kevin Navarro briefs reporters about a shooting on a subway platform along the CTA Red Line near the 200 block of South State Street on Aug. 17, 2017, in Chicago.

— jeremy gorner, chicagotribune.com, "Man being questioned by Chicago police in Red Line shooting earlier this month," 29 Aug. 2017
The popularity of the heavily subsidized ferries, which charge the same $2.75 fare as the city’s subways and buses, has made some recreational boaters suspicious of the city’s priorities.

— patrick mcgeehan, New York Times, "NYC Ferry Is Expanding Again, but Not Without Growing Pains," 28 Aug. 2017
On any street, sidewalk, bridge, plaza, park, subway, or inside her motor vehicle, a woman can be arrested for repeatedly beckoning or attempting to engage passers-by in conversation, if police read these actions as intent to engage in prostitution.

— ricardo cortés, vanityfair.com, "An Arresting Gaze: How One New York Law Turns Women into Suspects," 3 Aug. 2017
Dear Miss Manners: I’ve always ridden buses and subways to work, and make a conscientious effort to make my seat available for the elderly, for pregnant women, for people with obvious disabilities and for small children.

— miss manners, star-telegram, "A glare may not go far on a city bus," 30 July 2017
The line could either begin at the future Fairfax subway station on the Purple Line, or even go further south to the La Cienega Expo Line stop.

— neal broverman, Los Angeles Magazine, "4 Neighborhoods That Need a Streetcar More Than DTLA," 19 July 2017
Koreatown/Hollywood While Vermont Avenue is expected to get its own subway, light rail, or bus rapid transit, busy Western Avenue isn’t getting squat.

— neal broverman, Los Angeles Magazine, "4 Neighborhoods That Need a Streetcar More Than DTLA," 19 July 2017
More specifically, for New Yorkers, this series provides an enticing alternate reality in which the city is full of (mostly) nice people, and the subway is not a crumbling hellhole, but instead a safe space for yelling!

— laura bradley, HWD, "The Bold Type Is the Bubbly, Ridiculous Dramedy You Need This Summer," 11 July 2017
But this isn't the subway or bus, where pretty much everyone on board can see you.

— hayley macmillen, Allure, "Why I Love Crying on Airplanes," 6 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'subway.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of subway

1822

SUBWAY Defined for English Language Learners

subway

noun

Definition of subway for English Language Learners

: a system of underground trains in a city
: a road or passage for walking under a road, set of railroad tracks, etc.

SUBWAY Defined for Kids

subway

noun sub·way \ ˈsəb-ˌwā \

Definition of subway for Students

:a usually electric underground railway

Learn More about subway

See words that rhyme with subway Spanish Central: Translation of subway Nglish: Translation of subway for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of subway for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about subway

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subway

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subway

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subway

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subway

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subway

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