towpath

noun

tow·​path ˈtō-ˌpath How to pronounce towpath (audio)
-ˌpäth
Synonyms of towpathnext
: a path (as along a canal) traveled especially by draft animals towing boats

called also towing path

Examples of towpath in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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On their way into the track, Green and his three friends join a growing group of cyclists on the same journey, pedaling beneath the trees along the canal towpath. Luke Smith, New York Times, 21 May 2026 Biking is a favorite local activity thanks to the D&R Canal towpath. Hannah Howard, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2026 Mules on the towpath along the canal could pull a heavy barge at a clip of 4 miles per hour – far faster than the job of dragging wagons over primitive roads. Christine Keiner, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2025 More than 600 cyclists will embark on a 400-mile ride along the Erie Canal towpath and part of the Empire State Trail from Buffalo to Albany. Gary Stoller, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for towpath

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of towpath was in 1788

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Towpath.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/towpath. Accessed 29 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

towpath

noun
tow·​path ˈtō-ˌpath How to pronounce towpath (audio)
-ˌpȧth
: a path (as along a canal) traveled especially by animals (as horses or mules) towing boats

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