1
: moving or allowing movement in either direction
a two-way bridge
2
a
: involving or allowing an exchange between two individuals or groups
There must be good two-way communication …—
Jerrold Orne
Jerrold Orne
especially
: designed for both sending and receiving messages
two-way radio
b
: involving mutual responsibility or reciprocal relationships
… political alliance is a two-way thing …—Theodore H. White
Theodore H. White3
a
: involving two participants
a two-way race
b
sports
: playing on both the offensive and defensive squads of a team (as in American football)
Frost, a throwback to the era of two-way players, is the Cardinal's starting free safety and backup quarterback.—The New York Times
The New York Times
also
: playing both offense and defense well
a basketball forward who's a talented two-way player
4
: usable in either of two manners
a two-way lamp
5
: being a cock or valve that will connect a pipe or channel with either of two others
Examples of two-way in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Young gets deal Hours after releasing Terry Rozier, the Heat filled that roster spot by agreeing to a deal with Jahmir Young, who was promoted from his two-way contract.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
At the bottom of the screen are buttons for recording video, taking a snapshot, initiating two-way talk, playing a pre-recorded quick response voice message, and muting the sound.
—John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 11 Apr. 2026
The Celtics, though, were without Jaylen Brown (left achilles tendinitis), the team’s two-way star known for lockdown defense.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2026
As a two-way player, Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani receives extra time in between innings to get ready to pitch.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for two-way
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Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
At the bottom of the screen are buttons for recording video, taking a snapshot, initiating two-way talk, playing a pre-recorded quick response voice message, and muting the sound.
—John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 11 Apr. 2026
The Celtics, though, were without Jaylen Brown (left achilles tendinitis), the team’s two-way star known for lockdown defense.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2026
As a two-way player, Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani receives extra time in between innings to get ready to pitch.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for two-way
Cite this Entry
“Two-way.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/two-way. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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