travel

verb trav·el \ ˈtra-vəl \

|Updated on: 10 Aug 2018

Examples: travel in a Sentence

Definition of travel

traveled or travelled; traveling or travelling play \ˈtra-və-liŋ, ˈtrav-liŋ\

intransitive verb

1 a : to go on or as if on a trip or tour : journey

b (1) : to go as if by traveling : pass

the news traveled fast

(2) : associate

travels with a sophisticated crowd

c : to go from place to place as a sales representative or business agent

2 a (1) : to move or undergo transmission from one place to another

goods traveling by plane

(2) : to withstand relocation successfully

a dish that travels well

b : to move in a given direction or path or through a given distance

the stylus travels in a groove

c : to move rapidly

a car that can really travel

3 : to take more steps while holding a basketball than the rules allow

transitive verb

1 a : to journey through or over

b : to follow (a course or path) as if by traveling

2 : to traverse (a specified distance)

3 : to cover (an area) as a commercial traveler

— travel light

: to travel with a minimum of equipment or baggage

See travel defined for English-language learners

See travel defined for kids

Examples of travel in a Sentence

The birds are traveling south for the winter.
His job requires him to travel frequently.
She enjoys traveling around Europe.
They traveled cross-country from New York to California.
The pain traveled down his back.
the way that sound travels in an empty room
That car was really traveling when it passed us.
The order is traveling by plane.

Recent Examples of travel from the Web

Transit officials say the bus was traveling from Edgartown to Oak Bluffs when the driver passed the person.

— CBS News, "Martha's Vineyard bus driver fired after telling man he wasn't picked up because he's black," 13 July 2018
Adeleke was thrown toward a 2005 Acura MDX, which was traveling in the same direction as the first car and also hit the woman, police said.

— nicholas bogel-burroughs, baltimoresun.com, "Baltimore County police searching for sedan in fatal hit-and-run," 13 July 2018
Kendall Elizabeth Texter was traveling about 78 mph in a 45-mph area and passing in a no-passing zone before the Nov. 2, 2017, crash involving Woodstock resident Mary Frances Griffin, according to the Cherokee County indictment.

— steve burns, ajc, "North Fulton woman indicted in deadly Cherokee County crash," 13 July 2018
The pickup was traveling off of westbound I-70 and struck the woman's vehicle on the driver's side.

— vic ryckaert, Indianapolis Star, "Woman awaiting help on I-70 is fatally struck by passing vehicle," 11 July 2018
Amanpour, the chief international correspondent for CNN, was on assignment and Rubin, then the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, was traveling with Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright.

— aurelie corinthios, PEOPLE.com, "CNN's Christiane Amanpour and Husband Jamie Rubin Are Divorcing After 20 Years," 11 July 2018
The queen, 92, had spent a busy week in Scotland and was traveling to London to face another busy week including major ceremonies on Tuesday and a meeting with President Donald Trump on Friday.

— maria puente, USA TODAY, "Prince Louis' christening: Pippa, godparents arrive to honor third royal baby," 9 July 2018
Burt and her husband, Steven, of Westminster, Mass., were traveling Thursday with three dogs on a JetBlue flight from Florida to Massachusetts when Darcy began struggling, according to MassLive.com.

— lisa gutierrez, kansascity, "JetBlue attendants who put oxygen mask on bulldog's face saved her life, owners say," 9 July 2018
The men were traveling in a Honda Civic at a high rate of speed when their car left the road, striking multiple trees and tearing the vehicle in two, Schwan said.

— jim brunner, The Seattle Times, "2 die in high-speed Federal Way crash that ripped car in half," 4 July 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of travel

Middle English travailen, travelen to torment, labor, strive, journey, from Anglo-French travailler

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

travel Synonyms

Phrases

beat it, get a move on, make tracks, shake a leg, step on it;

travel

noun

Definition of travel

1 a : the act of traveling : passage

b : a journey especially to a distant or unfamiliar place : tour, trip —often used in plural

2 travels plural : an account of one's travels

3 : the number traveling : traffic

4 a : movement, progression

the travel of satellites around the earth

b : the motion of a piece of machinery; especially : reciprocating motion

See travel defined for English-language learners

Examples of travel in a Sentence

She doesn't enjoy foreign travel.
Air travel was affected by the storm.
The book discusses the future of travel in outer space.
We extended our travels for another week.

Recent Examples of travel from the Web

With only 13 players available — and no seniors — due to a travel tournament, Huntley beat Jacobs 5-3 in the semifinals and Hersey 10-3 in the championship game.

— paul johnson, Elgin Courier-News, "Red-hot Huntley: Hunter Rumachik and Red Raiders get on roll to reach Elite Eight of Phil Lawler Summer Classic," 14 July 2018
Designed as keepsakes and presented alongside Triplé Gagnant, a travel-size trio of sprays in hits like Blanche, La Tulipe, and Gypsy Water, the combs represent a luxurious take on grooming—and one that is informed by history.

— janelle okwodu, Vogue, "Byredo’s New Keepsake Combs Pay Tribute to Africa’s Beloved Queens," 13 July 2018
Josh Nickelberry is trying to recruit his travel teammates to play for Louisville basketball with him.

— jeff greer, The Courier-Journal, "Louisville pledge Josh Nickelberry recruiting teammates for Cards," 13 July 2018
It is expected to shorten travel from Boone County in Kentucky to Rising Sun from a one-hour drive to just a few minutes.

— melissa reinert, Cincinnati.com, "Ferry christened: Casino tries Lady Luck to boost business," 12 July 2018
Meanwhile — in keeping with the time travel theme — there are now ancient objects littered across the map, including statues and a Viking ship.

— andrew webster, The Verge, "Fortnite season 5 introduces temporal rifts, golf carts, and new locations," 12 July 2018
Richard Engel will report from London, then travel to Moscow.

— hal boedeker, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Chris Wallace, Fox News land Putin interview," 12 July 2018
In just eight days, the family raised over $140,000 in support of Maleka, which will assist in covering medical and travel expenses.

— ashley mcdonough, Essence.com, "GoFundMe Set Up For Family Of Atlanta Woman Killed In Bahamas Boat Accident On Her Anniversary Raises $140K," 12 July 2018
Hansen is a travel writer and photographer based in Carlsbad.

— doug hansen, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Hiking Spain's wild coast," 12 July 2018

First Known Use of travel

14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

travel Synonyms

Synonyms

expedition, journey, passage, peregrination, trek, trip;

cruise, sail, voyage;

drive, ride, spin;

grand tour, odyssey, pilgrimage, progress, quest, safari;

hike, slog, tramp, walk;

TRAVEL Defined for English Language Learners

travel

verb

Definition of travel for English Language Learners

: to go on a trip or journey : to go to a place and especially one that is far away
: to go through or over (a place) during a trip or journey
: to move from one place to another

travel

noun

Definition of travel for English Language Learners

: the act or activity of traveling
travels : trips or journeys to distant places

TRAVEL Defined for Kids

travel

verb trav·el \ ˈtra-vəl \

Definition of travel for Students

traveled or travelled; traveling or travelling

1 : to journey from place to place or to a distant place

2 : to get around : pass from one place to another

The news traveled fast.

3 : to journey through or over

We're traveling the countryside.

—

traveler

or traveller noun

History for travel

For many of us travel is usually for pleasure, so that we are unlikely to associate travel with hard labor or torture. However, the ultimate source of travel is a spoken Latin verb trepaliare, “to torture,” derived from trepalium, a name for an instrument of torture. Trepaliare developed into medieval French travailler, which meant “to torture or torment,” as well as “to suffer or labor.” Middle English borrowed the French verb as travailen with the same sense. But the difficulties of getting from place to place in the Middle Ages, when any journey was an exhausting effort, led medieval speakers of English to apply travailen to making a trip. We still use the word, though travel is now much easier.