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

The museum occupies the historic Shamash Jewish School, founded in 1928 on Al-Rashid Street, a prominent thoroughfare in Baghdad. — Reuters, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2026

To be sure, Guyot-Arnault is charmed by the quaint thoroughfare in Belgravia, where Destree’s retail neighbors include fellow clothing brands Wiggy Kit, With Nothing Underneath and Me+Em as well as the jeweler Sophie Breitmeyer. — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 12 Nov. 2026

Shops along the thoroughfare, including H&M and Stradivarius, temporarily closed as protesters passed. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 12 Nov. 2026

Barrington Drive is a wider two-lane road that feeds into The Plaza to the north and Milton Road to the south, both heavily trafficked thoroughfares. — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 11 Nov. 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