thoroughfare

noun

thor·​ough·​fare ˈthər-ə-ˌfer 

ˈthə-rə-

1

: a way or place for passage: such as

a

: a street open at both ends

b

: a main road

2

a

: passage, transit

b

: the conditions necessary for passing through

Synonyms of thoroughfare

• highway
• road
• street
• freeway
• route
• boulevard
• expressway
• roadway
• carriageway
• artery
• arterial
• turnpike

Examples of thoroughfare in a Sentence

one of the city's main thoroughfares

Recent Examples on the Web

On the busy thoroughfare of Rosecrans Avenue, offices are seeing an influx of white-collar service firms full of lawyers, accountants and bankers. — Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Huge chunks of flaming fuselage fell across a six-lane thoroughfare, bursting into fireballs one by one. — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2026

Residents, local advocates, and officials have all acknowledged something needs to be done on the major thoroughfare. — Charlotte Observer, 8 Sep. 2026

Two years later, Wong became one of the key leaders of the city’s Umbrella Movement protests that rallied thousands of predominantly young people to the streets to call for greater democracy by blocking major thoroughfares for 79 straight days. — Chris Lau, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for thoroughfare

• aftercare
• anywhere
• billionaire
• chinaware
• debonair
• dinnerware
• disrepair
• doctrinaire
• earthenware
• everywhere
• frigidaire
• kitchenware

Kids Definition

thoroughfare

noun

thor·​ough·​fare ˈthər-ə-ˌfa(ə)r 

ˈthə-rə-, 

-ˌfe(ə)r

1

: a street or road open at both ends

2

: a main road