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

Downtown Florence earned recognition as a Great American Main Street in 2023 thanks to its bustling thoroughfare, where visitors can attend a play at Florence Little Theatre, shop at local stores, and make dinner reservations at local restaurants. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026

Construction crews will be widening a two-mile stretch of Avondale-Haslet Road over the next two years as part of a larger project aimed at creating a continuous east-west thoroughfare in far north Fort Worth. —Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026

Trump has warned repeatedly that the US could strike power plants, bridges and other infrastructure in Iran if Tehran fails to make a deal or reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil thoroughfare. —Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2026

But that central gathering represented just one of the day’s events demonstrations with the Sacramento region, with hundreds showing up that morning and afternoon to march, chant and wave signs along busy thoroughfares in surrounding suburban cities. —Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 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