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

Six people died subway surfing back in 2024, up from five in 2023, and the recent deaths of two girls could reflect an escalation in fatalities related to the practice, and all this despite extensive public safety campaigns. —Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025

For their last session, Mamdani and the therapist rode the subway together. —Eric Lach, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025

For anyone who frequents the subway (or Equinox), the Beats Solo are ubiquitous. —Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2025

That would cut off access to the narrow gaps between train cars where subway surfers use handholds to hoist themselves onto the roof. —Dave Smith, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025

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