way 1 of 2

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as in room
an extent or area available for or used up by some activity or thing made way for them to pass

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in route
the direction along which something or someone moves go the same way that the school bus does

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in doorway
the opening through which one can enter or leave a structure we came in the back way

Synonyms & Similar Words

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way

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adverb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word way different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of way are fashion, manner, method, mode, and system. While all these words mean "the means taken or procedure followed in achieving an end," way is very general and may be used for any of the preceding words.

has her own way of doing things

In what contexts can fashion take the place of way?

Although the words fashion and way have much in common, fashion may suggest a peculiar or characteristic way of doing something.

rushing about in his typical fashion

How are the words manner and mode related as synonyms of way?

Manner is close to mode but may imply a procedure or method that is individual or distinctive.

an odd manner of conducting

When would method be a good substitute for way?

The synonyms method and way are sometimes interchangeable, but method implies an orderly logical arrangement usually in steps.

effective teaching methods

Where would mode be a reasonable alternative to way?

The words mode and way are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mode implies an order or course followed by custom, tradition, or personal preference.

the preferred mode of transportation

When might system be a better fit than way?

In some situations, the words system and way are roughly equivalent. However, system suggests a fully developed or carefully formulated method often emphasizing rational orderliness.

a filing system

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of way
Noun
The cute style has an elastic drawstring waistband that can be worn multiple ways. Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025 That these connections were cemented during McCarthyism and the Red Scare — a time when the American way was perceived to be under threat — is no accident, Seaton said. Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2025
Adverb
Actually, that’s way too weak a word. Staff, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2025 The Bears’ last victory over the Saints came way back in December 2008. Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for way
Recent Examples of Synonyms for way
Noun
  • For the filmmakers working in the region over the past two years, it’s been a long, arduous road to reach audiences, as the war impacted their physical productions and made potential distributors wary of facing political backlash for releasing their films.
    Rebecca Keegan, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Gripen fighters have the reputation of being relatively cheap and easy to maintain and arm, and able to operate in austere conditions – using roads or even dirt roads for runways.
    Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The trend's noon cutoff is also arbitrary, and while the habits are beneficial, the timing and exact numbers may not suit everyone's needs or lifestyles — and may not always be possible.
    Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Millan recommends observing your dog’s bathroom habits and structuring your potty training around their daily rhythms.
    Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 19 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Or choose the petty path and appeal it which we were prepared for.
    John Lynch, Arkansas Online, 22 Oct. 2025
  • But the objects in question are not only just asteroids, but also instead orbit the sun, following an almost exact path as Earth while always remaining close by.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Aside from these Nazi-ish tendencies, Frankenstein is erotically obsessed with the borders of life and death, with wounds and organs being specific sites of fascination; meanwhile, Katrin’s attraction to a lowly, virile farmhand (Joe Dallesandro) jeopardises the sanctity of the experiments.
    Rory Doherty, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
  • This failure was not due to a lack of warnings, but to a deeper human tendency to discount the unthinkable.
    Big Think, Big Think, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The hotel’s 142 rooms and suites are designed with a dark-wood and light-linen look—sort of Scandi meets Spanish colonial.
    Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 22 Oct. 2025
  • This acrylic and wood tic-tac-toe board brings style and function to any room.
    Jaclyn Kaufman may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Diagonal passes to onrushing full-backs has proven to be another effective route around the high defensive line, as Inter targeted Denzel Dumfries with 14 long balls out to his flank across the two-legged Champions League semi-final tie with Barcelona last season.
    Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • The patient who was being taken to the hospital was placed in another rescue vehicle, which continued the route.
    Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • This approach drastically reduces energy consumption and allows the screen to be placed very close to the eye.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Republican lawmakers have since called on Underly to overhaul the DPI's approach to investigating teacher licensing to be more transparent.
    Molly Beck, jsonline.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • When confronted, Billy, Sutton’s ex-boyfriend, explains that the table represents a doorway to the next world, reflecting Jonathan’s obsession with death, cycles, and human morality.
    Isabella Wandermurem, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The girl looks at her mother glowering in the doorway.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Way.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/way. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.

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