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

Nussbaum and her colleagues began passing out leaflets at Boston subway and bus stops to women heading to their jobs at downtown office buildings. — Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026

The new penalties align with pre-existing rules on Singapore’s subway system. — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026

Giridharadas recounts the tale of the subway confrontation between Jordan Neely, a homeless man with mental illness, and the former Marine Daniel Penny, who was acquitted of killing him. — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2026

Conrad Samuels is at the Coney Island Overhaul Shop, working on a gearbox for a subway car-wheel motor. — Chris Smith, Curbed, 22 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