traffic light

noun

: a visual signal (such as a system of colored lights) for controlling traffic

Examples of traffic light in a Sentence

Take a left at the traffic light.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But City Hall decides whether the pothole gets fixed, the park gets cleaned, the police show up, and the traffic light works. John Shallman, Daily News, 30 May 2026 The developer later trimmed the number of homes to 99 and agreed that no building permits will be issued until American Homes 4 Rent pays for and installs a traffic light at nearby Faith and Shearer roads. Joe Marusak may 27, Charlotte Observer, 27 May 2026 Footage shows that the barriers were down and the traffic lights were red. Adam England, PEOPLE, 26 May 2026 Fans carried brooms through Manhattan streets in anticipation of a Cavaliers sweep, climbed atop traffic lights while NYPD officers ordered them down and unleashed the kind of basketball pandemonium NYC has waited decades to experience again. Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for traffic light

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of traffic light was in 1912

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Traffic light.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/traffic%20light. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

traffic light

noun
: a visual signal (as a system of green, yellow, and red lights) for controlling traffic

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