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

In the summer, private cars aren’t allowed past Mile 15 (aka the Savage River checkpoint) on Denali Park Road, the park's main thoroughfare. —Karthika Gupta, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2026

Touhy Avenue is a major east-west Chicago thoroughfare running from Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood to Elk Grove Village — and linking Lincolnwood, Skokie, Niles, Chicago's Edison Park neighborhood, Park Ridge, and Des Plaines. —Adam Harrington, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026

Cinespace Studios Los Angeles is located in a bustling retail district on one of the Valley’s major thoroughfares, Victory Boulevard. —Todd Longwell, Variety, 4 Mar. 2026

Downtown Westfield’s main thoroughfare will be shut down for one day this week, as an important piece of the city’s history is moving to a new spot. —Jake Allen, IndyStar, 3 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