Synonyms of way

way 1 of 2

noun

ˈwā 

1

as in road

a passage cleared for public vehicular travel

the town honored the local sports hero by naming after him a short way connecting two shopping centers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• road
• route
• street
• highway
• thoroughfare
• freeway
• expressway
• roadway
• boulevard
• carriageway
• turnpike
• arterial
• artery
• avenue
• drive
• causeway
• interstate
• pass
• high road
• pike
• row
• lane
• thruway
• trace
• motorway
• drag
• parkway
• bypass
• corridor
• alley
• trail
• side street
• side road
• through street
• track
• superhighway
• Main Street
• autobahn
• high street
• byway
• secondary road
• ring road
• alleyway
• beltway
• switchback
• place
• dual carriageway
• branch
• crossroad
• close
• circle
• dead end
• corniche
• autoroute
• bystreet
• autostrada
• backstreet
• laneway
• shunpike
• mews
• cul-de-sac

2

as in habit

a usual manner of behaving or doing

she's set in her ways and is not about to change

Synonyms & Similar Words

• habit
• trick
• ritual
• practice
• tendency
• custom
• pattern
• second nature
• practise
• wont
• fashion
• routine
• inclination
• turn
• style
• use
• addiction
• mode
• manners
• habitude
• disposition
• usage
• set
• proclivity
• convention
• bent
• groove
• characteristic
• trait
• bag
• tenor
• form
• regime
• rut
• regimen
• drill
• pose
• attribute
• rote
• peculiarity
• mores
• deportment
• régime
• affectation
• singularity
• mark
• airs
• quirk
• oddity
• eccentricity
• kink
• jog trot
• tic

3

as in path

an established course for traveling from one place to another

took the regular way to work

Synonyms & Similar Words

• path
• route
• approach
• road
• highway
• avenue
• passage
• artery
• walk
• street
• trail
• roadway
• track
• lane
• pass
• thoroughfare
• passageway
• bypass
• drive
• walkway
• freeway
• high road
• turnpike
• boulevard
• expressway
• pike
• row
• bypath
• byway
• laneway
• door
• routeway
• channel
• airway
• doorway
• waterway
• gate
• portal
• trace
• hatch
• gateway
• watercourse
• cycleway
• bikeway
• gat

4

as in tendency

an established pattern of behavior

that's just his way, so pay him no mind

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tendency
• proneness
• propensity
• practice
• aptness
• turn
• habit
• inclination
• predilection
• proclivity
• predisposition
• bent
• disposition
• practise
• wont
• aptitude
• affinity
• pattern
• penchant
• routine
• trick
• custom
• partiality
• mind-set
• quirk
• idiosyncrasy
• peculiarity
• leaning
• singularity
• eccentricity
• oddity

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dislike
• disinclination
• indisposition
• averseness

5

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

• room
• space
• place
• scope
• elbow room
• capacity
• freedom
• compass
• range
• play
• clearance
• latitude
• leeway
• berth

6

as in route

the direction along which something or someone moves

go the same way that the school bus does

Synonyms & Similar Words

• route
• path
• course
• steps
• trajectory
• pathway
• track
• line
• routeway
• loop
• descent
• circle
• orbit
• circuit
• arc
• flight path
• ascent

7

as in approach

the means or procedure for doing something

figured out the best way to accomplish the task

Synonyms & Similar Words

• approach
• method
• strategy
• manner
• technique
• methodology
• how
• system
• style
• recipe
• tactics
• plan
• process
• form
• fashion
• route
• tack
• mode
• program
• model
• policy
• step
• scheme
• design
• move
• practice
• game
• shift
• blueprint
• layout
• plot
• routine
• line
• modus operandi
• ground plan
• game plan
• expedient
• intrigue
• practise

8

as in doorway

the opening through which one can enter or leave a structure

we came in the back way

Synonyms & Similar Words

• doorway
• door
• entrance
• gate
• gateway
• hatch
• hatchway

9

as in option

the power, right, or opportunity to choose

have it your way

Synonyms & Similar Words

• option
• choice
• alternative
• preference
• liberty
• election
• pick
• selection
• discretion
• volition
• vote
• will
• say
• free will
• determination
• liking
• druthers
• voice
• tendency
• predilection
• judgement
• inclination
• proclivity
• penchant
• propensity
• judgment
• partiality
• discernment
• perspicacity

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• force
• coercion
• duty
• obligation
• duress
• Hobson's choice

10

as in distance

the space or amount of space between two points, lines, surfaces, or objects

it's just a little way down the road

Synonyms & Similar Words

• distance
• length
• width
• remove
• spacing
• stretch
• lead
• height
• area
• space
• spread
• extent
• scope
• extension
• volume
• depth
• throw
• reach
• altitude
• flight
• rise
• breadth
• range
• sweep
• clearance
• drop
• cast
• shot
• fall
• haul
• berth

way

2 of 2

adverb

as in very

to a great degree

"Oh, I'm just way thrilled to be here!" the pageant contestant gushed

Synonyms & Similar Words

• very
• so
• too
• extremely
• damn
• terribly
• incredibly
• far
• that
• damned
• highly
• really
• badly
• desperately
• seriously
• much
• most
• greatly
• especially
• severely
• real
• jolly
• intensely
• wildly
• full
• particularly
• heavily
• such
• super
• immensely
• fiercely
• specially
• good and
• passing
• extra
• mighty
• totally
• exceptionally
• absolutely
• completely
• exceeding
• awfully
• hugely
• fantastically
• awful
• vitally
• bone
• fabulously
• thoroughly
• beastly
• ever
• wicked
• enormously
• cracking
• exceedingly
• a lot
• right
• uncommonly
• roaring
• deadly
• supremely
• entirely
• eminently
• sore
• dang
• achingly
• vastly
• remarkably
• deeply
• positively
• rattling
• archly
• utterly
• thumping
• whacking
• mightily
• frightfully
• mortally
• almighty
• significantly
• monstrous
• surpassingly
• spanking
• majorly
• fully
• wholly
• colossally
• sorely
• as all get-out
• corking
• considerably
• blisteringly
• filthy
• roaringly
• stinking
• radically
• purely
• substantially
• unco
• noticeably
• obviously
• downright
• visibly
• profoundly
• extensively
• notably
• flat-out
• altogether
• markedly
• plainly
• abundantly
• appreciably
• palpably
• plentifully
• discernibly
• excessively
• monumentally
• astronomically
• overmuch
• obscenely
• amazingly
• astonishingly
• grandly
• staggeringly
• monstrously

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• somewhat
• little
• slightly
• nominally
• just
• negligibly
• hardly
• barely
• scarcely
• marginally
• minimally
• scantily
• meagerly

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

Recent Examples of way

Noun

The best way to protect yourself during an earthquake is to drop, cover and hold on, officials say. —Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 8 Sep. 2025

Ensuring that the receiver knew the ball could come his way in the future would fix the issue. —Alec Lewis, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025

Adverb

Is there a word for when a TV show, way after the fact, makes a connection that the audience can totally tell was decided too late in the game to take seriously? —Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025

This crewneck sweater feels way more expensive than $30. —Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 3 Sep. 2025

Phrases Containing way

• all the way
• by the way
• by way of
• family way
• give way
• harm's way
• out of the way
• pave the way (for)
• rub the wrong way
• under way
• way station