walk

verb

\ ˈwȯk

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

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

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

Other Words from walk 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

More than 49,000 members of the United Auto Workers walked off General Motors factory floors or set up picket lines early Monday as contract talks with the company deteriorated into a strike. — chicagotribune.com, "More than 49,000 auto workers go on strike after talks with General Motors break down," 16 Sep. 2019 Union workers walked off at midnight after GM and UAW negotiators failed to come to a new four-year agreement by a Sept. 14 deadline. — David Welch, Fortune, "GM Strike Far From Ending as Stocks Plunge and Costs Mount," 16 Sep. 2019 Siemian actually walked off the field on his own, but did not return to the game. — Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAY, "Odell Beckham Jr. has big game as Cleveland Browns topple undermanned New York Jets," 16 Sep. 2019 Hudson has walked 75 batters this season compared to just 123 strikeouts. — Chris Wassel, USA TODAY Sportsbook Wire, "Washington Nationals at St. Louis Cardinals odds, picks and best bets," 16 Sep. 2019 The eighth-grader was walking home from school when his maternal grandfather intercepted him. — Henry Schulman, SFChronicle.com, "Giants’ Yastrzemski goes home to Boston remembering his best coach: His dad," 16 Sep. 2019 According to the prosecutor, Cristos walked into his father’s burning bedroom, laid down on the floor and died of burns to more than 80 percent of his body. — Pomerado News, "Father convicted for Rancho Bernardo fire that killed two children," 16 Sep. 2019 Timothy Long walks in dressed in a plaid shirt and jeans. — Kenneth E. Hartman, Harper's magazine, "Life after Life," 16 Sep. 2019 Bey had a long record for prostitution and was last seen by a friend walking along a highway at about 2 a.m. March 7, 2016, court records show. — NBC News, "Florida man charged in woman's death, more victims suspected," 16 Sep. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

This is a temple of masa — made from corn ground right there in the little walk-up stand on the city’s South Side in a grinder built by owner Steven Pizzini’s family back in the 1930s. — Mike Sutter, ExpressNews.com, "Cocktail from 188 South in New Braunfels tops September’s list of 5 things to eat and drink at San Antonio-area restaurants right now," 16 Sep. 2019 Not with walk-on center Colin Grunhard, who had just been whistled for a false start from the Lobos’ 1-yard-line. — Mike Berardino, Indianapolis Star, "Brian Kelly: More explosive plays needed if Notre Dame is to stay with powerful Georgia," 14 Sep. 2019 The man who took Lang’s roster spot, Jeremy Hazelbaker, followed with a walk, but Kiest struck out Jose Sermo to end the game and earn his third save of the playoffs. — News Services, Twin Cities, "Lang’s big hit leaves St. Paul Saints a win from title," 13 Sep. 2019 The Master Suite has vaulted ceilings, a beautiful brick fireplace and tub with a huge walk in closet. — Ramona Sentinel, "Home of the Week - 23517 Barona Mesa Rd, SDCE," 12 Sep. 2019 Crawford and Belt combined to finish the game 0-for-5 with a walk, but the rest of the Giants’ lineup wasn’t much better. — Kerry Crowley, The Mercury News, "Two-out mistakes haunt Giants in Los Angeles, offense shut out three times on road trip," 8 Sep. 2019 Already 0 for 3 with a walk on the day and in the midst of a 12-game homer-less streak — his longest of the season — Yelich worked a full count from Chicago's closer before drilling an off-speed pitch 443 feet out to straightaway center. — Todd Rosiak, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Brewers 4, Cubs 0: Christian Yelich's three-run homer clinches must-win series at Wrigley Field," 1 Sep. 2019 Howie Kendrick led off with a single against Ryne Stanek (0-3, 0-2 for the Marlins) and Trea Turner followed with a walk. — Harvey Valentine, sun-sentinel.com, "Marlins blow ninth-inning lead to lose franchise-worst 13th straight road game," 31 Aug. 2019 Mize then threw a no-hitter in his first Class AA outing, striking out seven with one walk and one hit batter. — Usa Today Sports, USA TODAY, "Vote: Who is USA TODAY Sports' 2019 Minor League Player of the Year?," 28 Aug. 2019

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