roads

noun

plural of road
1
as in highways
a passage cleared for public vehicular travel I think we should take one of the less congested roads

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in railroads
a roadway overlaid with parallel steel rails over which trains travel the railway companies are continually repairing their roads

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 roads That’s also the figure governments across South Florida rely on when adapting infrastructure like roads, or planning new ones. — Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026 Several of the roads were constructed with pedestrians in mind first, envisioning the fan march from the Landing to CPKC Stadium on match days. — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026 Evacuation orders have been issued for Salt Point State Park and Timber Cove, including north of Fort Ross Road, south of Kruse Ranch and Hauser Bridge roads, east of the coastline and west of the Gualala River's south fork. — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 30 July 2026 An application request filed with the city of Meridian shows plans for a 24,000-square-foot micro-hospital on South Rackham Way, near the northeast corner of Eagle and Overland roads, south of Interstate 84. — Rose Evans july 24, Idaho Statesman, 24 July 2026 The late 2023 fire gutted the LaVista Road apartment complex, shut down nearby roads and affected more than 200 residents. — Cassidy Alexander, AJC.com, 24 July 2026 Bulldozers shuffled right through the rubble to make roads that cut Gaza into separate sections. — Literary Hub, 16 July 2026 The analysis included roads with speed limits of 45 mph (72 kph) and higher. — Alexa St. John, Fortune, 16 July 2026 The gray zone has reached the town and two separate Russian prongs edge closer to its main access roads. — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roads
  1. highways
  2. railroads
  3. streets
  4. railways
  5. thoroughfares
  6. freeways
  7. routes
  8. expressways
Noun
  • The district is less than two hours from the capital of San José through paved highways or a ferry, with small plane options available.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 24 July 2026
  • Most of these hotels, motels and motor lodges were built around the same time the federal government began numbering highways (like Route 66) in the mid-1920s.
    — Joe Yogerst, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of highways
Noun
  • Another term in the CN-UP memorandum aims to quell one of the STB’s concerns about Union Pacific’s potential controlling ownership of multiple local railroads that are currently jointly owned by the Class Is.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 24 July 2026
  • Consumer brands, insurance companies, railroads, banks, utilities, and industrial companies generally fit that framework.
    — Steve Brozak, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of railroads
Noun
  • The bike unit was previously near 10th and L streets by the state Capitol.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 26 July 2026
  • The campaign has taken the protests demanding accountability and education reforms beyond the streets, broadening its reach and intensifying pressure on a government wary of appearing to yield to a rapidly growing youth movement.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
Definition of streets
Noun
  • Railway police officers prevent theft and trespassing on railroad properties, promote rail safety and investigate crimes committed on the railways, according to the statement.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 July 2026
  • In recent days, the US has expanded its targets beyond Iranian coastal sites housing radar and drone facilities to include roads, tunnels, railways, port infrastructure and, according to Iranian media, a desalination plant.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
Definition of railways
Noun
  • Officials in La Grange are looking at how to improve one of the main thoroughfares in town.
    — Hank Beckman, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026
  • In squares and main thoroughfares, vendors were seen selling Egyptian flags, whistles and fan paraphernalia in preparation for the game.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2026
Definition of thoroughfares
Noun
  • Despite having only four cylinders, the TurboMax produces V8-like torque, making the Canyon feel eager pulling away from traffic lights or merging onto freeways.
    — Josh Max, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • For decades, the powers that be have burdened the Eastside with freeways, warehouses, public corruption, unsightly developments that have brought on gentrification and civic negligence bordering on the criminal.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of freeways
Noun
  • In person or on social media, people were comparing routes, stores and purchases.
    — Erik Pedersen, Daily News, 28 July 2026
  • However, there are plenty of boat routes, hiking paths, biking trails and auto tours in different parts of the swamp.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of routes
Noun
  • Homicide data from the Illinois State Police, which patrols the city’s expressways, also is not included here.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2026
  • In November 2016, Santa Clara County voters approved Measure B, a 30-year, half-cent countywide sales tax to enhance transit, highways, expressways, and active transportation (bicycles, pedestrians, and complete streets).
    — Phan Khang, Mercury News, 18 May 2026
Definition of expressways

Browse Nearby Words

road rage
roads
roadstead
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Roads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roads. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on roads

Nglish: Translation of roads for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of comely

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All