1
as in routes
the direction along which something or someone moves
try to stay out of the path of the golf balls while playing I tripped over a rock directly in my path
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in trails
a rough course or way formed by or as if by repeated footsteps
a path worn through the library lawn by too many people walking over it
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in roads
an established course for traveling from one place to another
the path along which ancient traders traveled from Europe to China was known as the Silk Road
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 paths
The two climbed to the top of the victory stand at the 106th CIF State Track & Field Championships at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium on Saturday, taking decidedly different paths.
—
Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2026
Turang has been crafty on the base paths, recording nine steals on 11 attempts.
—Data Skrive, New York Times, 31 May 2026
While she and her siblings were expected to join the family business, Thapanee, who worked at Merrill Lynch in Singapore before joining the group, said the next generation will be given greater freedom to chart their own paths.
—Kevin Lim, CNBC, 31 May 2026
That means Steyer and Hilton both have paths to advance to the November general election, said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 31 May 2026
The Hornets thrived all season by creating havoc on the base paths.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 30 May 2026
How this looks in real life are homes with front porches, walkable paths that create social encounter opportunities, programming and social spaces that encourage gathering.
—Jamie Gold, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
But other paths are still possible.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 May 2026
Ladies who lunch at The George cross paths with ladies who launch (startups, that is), men in smart suits are occasionally gala-bound, and creatives on laptops greet locals stopping in for a drink or afternoon tea under the ornate ceilings.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 May 2026
Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2026
Turang has been crafty on the base paths, recording nine steals on 11 attempts.
—Data Skrive, New York Times, 31 May 2026
While she and her siblings were expected to join the family business, Thapanee, who worked at Merrill Lynch in Singapore before joining the group, said the next generation will be given greater freedom to chart their own paths.
—Kevin Lim, CNBC, 31 May 2026
That means Steyer and Hilton both have paths to advance to the November general election, said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 31 May 2026
The Hornets thrived all season by creating havoc on the base paths.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 30 May 2026
How this looks in real life are homes with front porches, walkable paths that create social encounter opportunities, programming and social spaces that encourage gathering.
—Jamie Gold, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
But other paths are still possible.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 May 2026
Ladies who lunch at The George cross paths with ladies who launch (startups, that is), men in smart suits are occasionally gala-bound, and creatives on laptops greet locals stopping in for a drink or afternoon tea under the ornate ceilings.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paths
Noun
-
Nepali climbers are now the ones overseeing the securing of the routes up the mountain, and the fixing of the rope lines that help clients navigate the most difficult sections.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
The Fortress can be taken off the road, too, via an addition Extreme offroad Suspension system that can handle any unexpected routes, while the four-wheel drive can tackle mud, snow, rocks, in addition to being a statement-making daily driver.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Kaua’i’s waves and verdant shores provide endless fun for children, including bike trails, boat tours and bodyboarding.—
Brianna Randall,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
-
Just an hour away, Acadia National Park has beaches, trails, and budget-friendly camping options.—
Dave Parfitt,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
There was no estimated time for when the cleanup would be completed and the roads would reopen.—
Elyssa Kaufman,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
-
Though Lake Austin runs about 20 miles, true private waterfront is limited by geography, existing ownership, public parkland, older roads, steep banks and protected coves.—
Spencer Elliott,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
The new map moved predominantly Black neighbors into white majority districts and split Wasserman Schultz’s former district five ways, leading her to launch a campaign for the 20th District.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2026
-
In performance and direction, and in the small ways in which Caswell and Wills have plotted out this isolated love story, there’s a level of great richness and detail.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
There are ramps, wide corridors, and pathways to ease mobility.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
From his perspective, the recent guidance should be viewed as an indication that discretionary review may receive greater scrutiny rather than as the elimination of adjustment of status pathways altogether.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Ebola outbreak trajectories in first 100 days Cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have risen rapidly since the WHO declared a health emergency on May 17.—
Jane Weaver,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
-
The researchers trained the model using two million simulated trajectories involving 8,000 objects.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
The Uganda-Congo border is several hundred miles long and crossed by numerous footpaths beyond formal border posts, which many people use daily to visit family or to trade.—
Katrine L. Wallace,
The Conversation,
29 May 2026
-
The Uganda-Congo border is several hundred miles long and crossed by numerous footpaths beyond formal border posts.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paths.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paths. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
