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

Comella paid his fare at Canal Street — the driver would go no farther — and walked south on west Broadway, a thoroughfare of million-dollar lofts, to a point three blocks from the Trade Center. — Peter Wilkinson, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026

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

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