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

Back in 1954, during the filming of The Seven Year Itch, a still photographer had captured an image of Marilyn Monroe standing over a New York subway grate as steam lifted her white dress above her head. — Laurence Leamer, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026

The worm, however impossible to miss, is shoved, bumped, and pushed around with everyone else in the stifling subway car. — Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026

There have also been six murders in the subway system so far this year, compared to four for all of last year. — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 14 Oct. 2026

Kate, the Princess of Wales, and her daughter, Princess Charlotte, lived like London locals over the weekend, commuting on London's public subway system. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 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