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

Cold commutes The bitter cold also has the MTA making preparations and double checking heating systems on subways and buses. —Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026

Consider that subways and surface transit systems were historically operated by separate companies, competing for ridership. —Jonathan Cohn, New York Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026

With this in mind, Szakin recommends prioritizing public transit over taxis, noting that Japan’s rail and subway networks—from local and regional trains to the high-speed shinkansen (bullet train)—form the backbone of travel throughout the country. —Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2026

Matthieu Blazy, who was named the new artistic director of Chanel in December 2024, debuted his first Métiers d’Art collection show in New York City’s subway system in December 2025. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 4 Feb. 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
• astray
• aue
• away
• ballet
• belay
• beltway
• beret

Kids Definition

subway

noun

sub·​way ˈsəb-ˌwā 

1

: an underground passage

2

: a usually electric underground railway