turnpike

noun turn·pike \ ˈtərn-ˌpīk \

Updated on: 12 Apr 2018

Definition of turnpike

1 a (1) : a road (such as an expressway) for the use of which tolls are collected

(2) : a road formerly maintained as a turnpike

b : a main road; especially : a paved highway with a rounded surface

2 : tollgate

See turnpike defined for English-language learners

See turnpike defined for kids

Examples of turnpike in a Sentence

the turnpike was jammed with people heading south for the long weekend

Recent Examples of turnpike from the Web

Politicians have been trying to rein in the staggering overtime and other compensation that troopers patrolling the turnpike have been making for decades.

— nestor ramos, BostonGlobe.com, "Governors have been trying to fix the State Police for decades. Is this time different?," 6 Apr. 2018
While Newington Police were en route to the store, Velazquez left out of the front of the store and fled north on the turnpike.

— kathleen mcwilliams, courant.com, "Newington Police Charge East Hartford Man With Game Stop Armed Robbery," 19 Mar. 2018
Jorge's 60-year-old uncle, Rolando Fraga, lives in the area and frequently takes the nearby turnpike to work, but no one has heard from him since midday Thursday.

— adriana gomez licon and jennifer kay, chicagotribune.com, "2 cars, 3 bodies removed from collapsed Miami bridge debris," 17 Mar. 2018
Jorge's 60-year-old uncle, Rolando Fraga, lives in the area and frequently takes the nearby turnpike to work, but no one has heard from him since midday Thursday.

— leada gore, AL.com, "St. Patrick's Day 2018: Best Irish blessings, quotes, inspiration," 17 Mar. 2018
Sixty-year-old Rolando Fraga, Jorge's uncle, lives in the area and frequently takes the nearby turnpike to work, but no one has heard from him since mid-day Thursday.

— CBS News, "Miami bridge collapse: Tearful families wait as officials expect to find more bodies," 16 Mar. 2018
There are plans for a new ramp that provides direct access into the office park from the turnpike’s toll plaza and a Cross County Trail that’s better connected to the Fort Washington SEPTA station.

— rebecca heilweil, Philly.com, "In Fort Washington, new life for a historic office park," 1 Mar. 2018
Ullmo claimed that the state had no right to use tolls collected by the turnpike commission to finance bonds that would pay for Opportunity Corridor and other projects.

— steven litt, cleveland.com, "Opportunity Corridor is back on track for 2021 completion after delay caused by taxpayer lawsuit (photos)," 14 Feb. 2018
Pennsylvania and other states pioneered the expressway era with their own network of turnpikes, which generated plenty of revenue to maintain the roads while repaying the bondholders who financed them.

— john tierney, National Review, "Trump’s Infrastructure Opportunity," 25 Jan. 2018

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