traffic

noun, often attributive
traf·​fic | \ ˈtra-fik How to pronounce traffic (audio) \

Definition of traffic

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1a(1) : the vehicles, pedestrians, ships, or planes moving along a route
(2) : congestion of vehicles stuck in traffic
(3) : the movement (as of vehicles or pedestrians) through an area or along a route
b : the information or signals transmitted over a communications system : messages
2 : the volume of customers visiting a business establishment restaurant traffic
3a : the passengers or cargo carried by a transportation system
b : the business of transporting passengers or freight
4a : import and export trade
b : the business of bartering or buying and selling
c : illegal or disreputable usually commercial activity the drug traffic
5a : communication or dealings especially between individuals or groups
b : exchange a lively traffic in ideas— F. L. Allen
6 : a concentration of participants or players and especially defensive players force difficult shots in traffic
7 archaic : wares, goods
the traffic will bear
: existing conditions will allow or permit charge what the traffic will bear

traffic

verb
trafficked; trafficking

Definition of traffic (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to carry on traffic
2 : to concentrate one's effort or interest broadly : engage, deal a writer who often traffics in hyperbole

transitive verb

1a : to travel over heavily trafficked highways
b : to visit as a customer a highly trafficked bookstore
2 : trade, barter

Other Words from traffic

Verb

trafficker noun

Synonyms for traffic

Synonyms: Noun

Synonyms: Verb

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Choose the Right Synonym for traffic

Noun

business, commerce, trade, industry, traffic mean activity concerned with the supplying and distribution of commodities. business may be an inclusive term but specifically designates the activities of those engaged in the purchase or sale of commodities or in related financial transactions. commerce and trade imply the exchange and transportation of commodities. industry applies to the producing of commodities, especially by manufacturing or processing, usually on a large scale. traffic applies to the operation and functioning of public carriers of goods and persons.

Examples of traffic in a Sentence

Noun Let's leave early to avoid rush hour traffic. Traffic is backed up to the bridge. Barge traffic was halted because of flooding. Airlines saw a decrease in passenger traffic this year. Verb arrested him for trafficking in drugs
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun But as the 2022 fair entered its final weekend, the 2024 traffic was noticeably light. Thomas Beaumont, ajc, 21 Aug. 2022 Office traffic in downtown Cleveland was at 52% in May. Sean Mcdonnell, cleveland, 20 Aug. 2022 Air traffic control tried to contact the crew multiple times but could not reach anyone, Aviation Herald reported. Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 20 Aug. 2022 An investigation revealed the driver of the Mustang, who fled the scene on foot, had been involved in a traffic altercation with a 40-year-old Gurnee man in the area of Wadsworth Road and Delany Road in Wadsworth. Deanese Williams-harris, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2022 Safety experts argue the best way to prevent more traffic deaths is to lower speed limits, redesign roads and use tools like speed cameras. Amy Hubbard, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2022 Municipalities began implementing no-cruise ordinances in the 1980s over concerns about crime, traffic and noise. San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Aug. 2022 Most traffic offenses are eligible, including one-time drunken driving convictions, but excluding offenses that cause injury or death and Commercial Driver License violations. Andrea May Sahouri, Detroit Free Press, 19 Aug. 2022 Nearby the rally, candidates for local office waved their signs as traffic poured down East Colonial Drive, bringing some to the library to cast ballots early. Ryan Gillespie, Orlando Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Soon, Jackson and Scott began using Petrovic to recruit and traffic other minor females, according to prosecutors. oregonlive, 25 July 2022 Other criminals traffic everything from gold to the prized pirarucu fish, police said. Luciana Magalhaes, WSJ, 18 June 2022 Stories of hacks of high-profile companies and growing awareness of the fact that some companies traffic their data for a profit have made many consumers think twice about sharing their personal information. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 13 May 2022 Criminals with systems for smuggling ivory are perfectly positioned to traffic other contraband. Dean Paton, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Apr. 2022 Their projects often traffic in provocative visuals and effects, sending their viewers down unanticipated rabbit holes, testing people’s limits for farts, warts, and all. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 7 Apr. 2022 The indictment accuses Treviño of conspiring to traffic large quantities of marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine and using firearms — including machine guns — to facilitate those crimes. Guillermo Contreras, San Antonio Express-News, 16 Mar. 2022 Or, foster kids who get trafficked will be used by the traffickers to traffic their friends. San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2022 The directors who traffic in these stories often do so from a place of detachment, able to register the suffering of their subjects while ignoring the many layers of their humanity. Jourdain Searles, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Jan. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'traffic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of traffic

Noun

1511, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1537, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

History and Etymology for traffic

Noun

Middle French trafique, from Old Italian traffico, from trafficare to trade in coastal waters

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Time Traveler for traffic

Time Traveler

The first known use of traffic was in 1511

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Dictionary Entries Near traffic

Trafalgar, Cape

traffic

trafficability

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Statistics for traffic

Last Updated

23 Aug 2022

Cite this Entry

“Traffic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/traffic. Accessed 1 Sep. 2022.

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More Definitions for traffic

traffic

noun
traf·​fic | \ ˈtra-fik How to pronounce traffic (audio) \

Kids Definition of traffic

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : the movement (as of vehicles or pedestrians) along a route
2 : the people or goods carried by train, boat, or airplane or passing along a road, river, or air route
3 : the business of carrying passengers or goods the tourist traffic
4 : the business of buying and selling : commerce
5 : exchange of information They had no traffic with the enemy.

traffic

verb
trafficked; trafficking

Kids Definition of traffic (Entry 2 of 2)

traffic

noun, often attributive
traf·​fic

Legal Definition of traffic

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1a : import and export trade
b : the business of bartering or buying and selling
c : illegal or disreputable usually commercial activity the drug traffic
2a : the movement (as of vehicles or pedestrians) through an area or along a route
b : the vehicles, pedestrians, ships, or planes moving along a route
c : the information or signals transmitted over a communications system
3a : the passengers or cargo carried by a transportation system
b : the business of transporting passengers or freight

traffic

verb
trafficked; trafficking

Legal Definition of traffic (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

: to carry on traffic

transitive verb

1 : to travel over
2 : to engage in the trading or bartering of

Other Words from traffic

trafficker noun

More from Merriam-Webster on traffic

Nglish: Translation of traffic for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of traffic for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about traffic

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