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

• arterial
• artery
• avenue
• boulevard
• carriageway [British]
• drag
• drive
• expressway
• freeway
• high road
• highway
• pass
• pike
• road
• roadway
• route
• row
• street
• thruway
• trace
• turnpike
• way

Examples of thoroughfare in a Sentence

one of the city's main thoroughfares

Recent Examples on the Web

The rainfall flooded and closed part of the Don Valley Parkway, which runs from the north part of the city into the downtown area, several other thoroughfares and Toronto’s Union Station, the Associated Press said. —Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 17 July 2024

On the other side of a busy bridge, entire neighborhoods surrounding the thoroughfare known as LBS Road were submerged under monsoon rains — the perennial result, residents say, of an outdated drainage system and hapless city administrators. —Anant Gupta, Washington Post, 16 July 2024

Only four blocks long, the chic thoroughfare is lined with designer boutiques like Chanel, Gucci, and Bottega Veneta. —Mariette Williams, Travel + Leisure, 17 June 2024

Minus the dull thud of the boats gently colliding with the wooden posts they're tied to, the normally busy thoroughfare is quiet. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 5 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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