underway

1 of 2

adjective

un·​der·​way ˌən-dər-ˈwā 

: occurring, performed, or used while traveling or in motion

underway replenishment of fuel

underway

2 of 2

adverb

variants or less commonly under way

1

: in motion : not at anchor or aground

The ship was underway at dawn.

2

: into motion from a standstill

The train should be underway again soon.

3

: in progress : happening now

Preparations for the celebration are already underway.

A search is underway.

The season got underway with a bang.

Synonyms

Adverb

• afoot
• under weigh

Examples of underway in a Sentence

Adverb

construction of the new shopping mall is under way

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Screenings are already underway and the first residents are expected to move in at noon Tuesday. —Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Sep. 2025

Tough primaries are also underway in Michigan, Iowa, Maine, Texas, and Illinois. —Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 23 Sep. 2025

Adverb

Rathee highlighted seismic changes underway in gaming. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 29 Sep. 2025

Photos released this week by Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard show cranes, steel framing, and concrete work underway on the massive Dry Dock 5. —Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

probably from Dutch onderweg, from Middle Dutch onderwegen, literally, under or among the ways

First Known Use

Adjective

1743, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1720, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for underway

• aaa
• adonais
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway

Kids Definition

under way

adverb

1

: in or into motion

a ship getting under way

2

: in progress

preparations are under way