walk

verb

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\ ˈwȯk

walked; walking; walks

Definition of walk

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1a : to move along on foot : advance by steps

b : to come or go easily or readily

c : to go at a walk

d : to go on foot for exercise or pleasure

2 : to go to first base as a result of a base on balls

3 : to avoid criminal prosecution or conviction walked on a technicality

4a : walk out walked over problems with management

b : to pursue a course of action or way of life : conduct oneself : behave walk warily

c : to be or act in association : continue in union the British and American peoples will … walk together side by side … in peace— Sir Winston Churchill

5 of an astronaut : to move about in space outside a spacecraft

6 of an inanimate object

a : to move in a manner that is suggestive of walking

b : to stand with an appearance suggestive of strides pylons walking across the valley

7a of a spirit : to move about in visible form : appear

b of a ship : to make headway

c obsolete : roam, wander

transitive verb

1a : to cause (an animal) to go at a walk : take for a walk walking a dog

b(1) : to cause to move by walking walked her bicycle up the hill

(2) : to haul (something, such as an anchor) by walking round the capstan

2a : to accompany on foot : walk with walked her home

b : to compel to walk (as by a command)

c : to bring to a specified condition by walking walked us off our feet

3 : to follow on foot for the purpose of measuring, surveying, or inspecting walk a boundary

4 : to move (an object) in a manner suggestive of walking

5a : to pass on foot or as if on foot through, along, over, or upon : traverse, perambulate walk the streets walk a tightrope

b : to perform or accomplish by going on foot walk guard

6 : to give a base on balls to

7 : to perform (a dance) at a walking pace walk a quadrille

walk away from

1 : to give up or leave behind willingly : abandon

2 : to survive (an accident) with little or no injury

3 : to outrun or get the better of without difficulty

walk off with

1a : to steal and take away

b : to take over unexpectedly from someone else : steal sense 1d walked off with the show

2 : to win or gain especially by outdoing one's competitors without difficulty

walk on

: to take advantage of : abuse

walk on eggshells or walk on eggs

: to exercise extreme caution

walk over

: to treat contemptuously

walk the plank

1 : to walk under compulsion over the side of a ship into the sea

2 : to resign an office or position under compulsion

walk through

1 : to go through (a theatrical role, a familiar activity, etc.) perfunctorily (as in an early stage of rehearsal)

2 : to guide (someone, such as a novice) through an unfamiliar or complex procedure step-by-step

3 : to deal with or carry out perfunctorily

walk

noun

plural walks

Definition of walk (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : an act or instance of going on foot especially for exercise or pleasure go for a walk took a long walk around the neighborhood — see also take a walk

b : space walk

2 : a place designed for walking:

a(1) : a path specially arranged or paved for walking

(2) : sidewalk

b : a public avenue for promenading : promenade

c : a railed platform above the roof of a dwelling house

d : ropewalk

3 : distance to be walked a quarter mile walk from here

4 : an accustomed place of walking : haunt

5 : a place or area of land in which animals feed and exercise with minimal restraint

6 : base on balls

7 : characteristic manner of walking his walk is just like his father's

8 British : a ceremonial procession

9a : a low rate of speed the shortage of raw materials slowed production to a walk

b : the gait of a biped in which the feet are lifted alternately with one foot not clear of the ground before the other touches

c : the gait of a quadruped in which there are always at least two feet on the ground specifically : a 4-beat gait of a horse in which the feet strike the ground in the sequence near hind, near fore, off hind, off fore

10 : a route regularly traversed by a person in the performance of a particular activity (such as patrolling, begging, or vending)

11a : social or economic status all walks of life

b(1) : range or sphere of action : field, province

(2) : vocation

12 : manner of living : conduct, behavior

13 : an easy victory won in a walk

walk in the park

: an easy or pleasurable experience

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About walk

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Examples of walk in a Sentence

Verb Is your grandson walking yet? He walks home from school every day. It's not far; you can walk there in five minutes. It was a while after the accident before she could walk again. He walked away without saying goodbye! She turned and walked away from him. The driver walked away from the accident unharmed. They walk around the neighborhood every morning for exercise. We walked around the city all day seeing the sights. He walked to the store. Noun The cliff walk along the ocean is very popular. Many exotic plants can be found along the walk.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The people with nowhere to go walk slowly, or sprawl on the sidewalk of the city’s main street. — Carl Nolte, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 July 2021 Gerrit Cole is the Yankees’ only reliable starting pitcher, closer Aroldis Chapman has career worsts in ERA (4.55) and walk rate, and a franchise built on left-handed power hitters has none. — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2021 See animal and ocean scenes and traditional Asian lanterns, and walk through a T. rex tunnel. — BostonGlobe.com, 16 July 2021 Head over to Devonport on the North Shore and walk around North Head Historic Reserve. — Amy Louise Bailey, Travel + Leisure, 16 July 2021 Ditch the car on the outskirts and walk within its mazelike stone streets and buzzing summer scene. — Washington Post, 16 July 2021 While Kylie is chatting with mom Kris Jenner, cousins Chicago and Dream walk into the room holding silver shopping bags filled with Kylie Cosmetics products. — Georgia Slater, PEOPLE.com, 16 July 2021 For fans, the doc was a kind of EDM Rosetta stone, offering some insights into why a group at the peak of its powers would just walk away. — Katie Bain, Billboard, 15 July 2021 Race For Champions, an inclusive 5K run/walk that typically takes place each year on the campus of Nova Southeastern University at 8 a.m. — Gary Curreri, sun-sentinel.com, 15 July 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun India was hit by a pitch on Houser’s fifth pitch of the evening and Joey Votto drew a walk. — Bobby Nightengale, The Enquirer, 17 July 2021 In the bottom of the inning, Tyler Ladendorf drew a one-out walk and went to third on a single. — Star Tribune, 11 July 2021 Daulton Varsho drew a walk with the bases loaded to make it 4-2 and Los Angeles then turned to Jake Reed, who walked Josh Reddick to score another insurance run. — Arizona Republic, The Arizona Republic, 11 July 2021 Zack Short drew a walk before Rogers' no-out blast to center field. — Dana Gauruder, Detroit Free Press, 11 July 2021 Bryan Reynolds drew a four-pitch walk from Tyler Matzek, forcing in the winning run in the ninth inning and giving the Pittsburgh Pirates a 2-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night and a three-game winning streak. — John Perrotto, ajc, 7 July 2021 Crawford’s fourth hit opened the ninth inning, and Donovan Solano drew a four-pitch walk. — John Shea, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 July 2021 Lindor drew a leadoff walk in the seventh and dashed to third on Smith’s single. — Mike Fitzpatrick, courant.com, 5 July 2021 Jason Wilson drew a walk to force in a run and break an 8-8 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning as Boca Raton went ahead for good. — Gary Curreri, sun-sentinel.com, 1 July 2021

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

History and Etymology for walk

Verb

partly from Middle English walken (past welk, past participle walken), from Old English wealcan to roll, toss, journey about (past weolc, past participle wealcen) and partly from Middle English walkien (past walked, past participle walked), from Old English wealcian to roll up, muffle up; akin to Middle Dutch walken to knead, press, full