way 1 of 2

1
2
3
4
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

6
as in route
the direction along which something or someone moves go the same way that the school bus does

Synonyms & Similar Words

7
8
as in doorway
the opening through which one can enter or leave a structure we came in the back way

Synonyms & Similar Words

9
10

way

2 of 2

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
This was the first way in which geomagnetic storms disrupted transportation technology. Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025 Shared ground is one of the most important ways for partners to build a rhythm together, and that rhythm can determine how long a relationship lasts. Mark Travers, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2025
Adverb
The cost of living has gone way up as the young family has put down roots in the Appleton area. Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 24 Oct. 2025 The Black Sox World Series baseball scandal was way back in 1919. Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for way
Recent Examples of Synonyms for way
Noun
  • A day when the Stanley Cup years finally ride the synaptic road back to long-term memory and the brain finally bumps the past for the present.
    Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
  • The floods have also left 11 people missing, inundated more than 116,000 houses and 5,000 hectares of crops, and damaged roads and railways, cutting off traffic and power in several areas, the government’s disaster agency said in a report.
    Reuters, NBC news, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Over the years, Chris Jones has made a habit of praising his line coach, Joe Cullen.
    Emily Curiel, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Saleh on Lucas Cornerback Chase Lucas has won over Saleh with his play and his study habits.
    Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Next, a 10,000-pound concrete-and-steel battering ram was used to punch 24-foot holes through the ice, beginning at the far end of the whales' four-mile path to freedom, so as not to alarm them.
    Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Drinkwitz has helped the Tigers get talented players and stay in contention, but Mizzou will always have a difficult path in the SEC.
    Chris Vannini, New York Times, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Selling a put under those conditions, with roughly 60 days to expiration, positions the seller to capture elevated option premium while capturing the tendency for prices to revert toward the mean.
    Michael Khouw, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
  • However, the former collegiate volleyball player says her husband, Philadelphia Eagles guard Landon Dickerson, doesn't share her cautionary tendencies.
    Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • An area rug can completely change how a room feels—adding warmth, softness, and personality from the very first step.
    Jacqueline Tempera, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Oct. 2025
  • The second snap revealed her shocked reaction upon walking into the elegant room for the engagement.
    Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Tyrick Mitchell and Daniel Munoz are much better at providing the low delivery on the run, while Borna Sosa, trying the aerial route, kept finding the heads of Fredrikstad players in the first leg.
    Liam Tharme, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
  • The Center assigns them to specific flight routes and schedules where scientists think in-situ data would improve the forecasts as much as possible.
    Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • And that remains their main source of concern — that the challenge of adapting to a third different manager and a third approach (albeit one similar in style to Nuno) might prove to be too much.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
  • This approach can reduce the overhead coordination of traditional innovation processes while maximizing the probability of generating top-tier ideas from the start.
    François Candelon, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Co-founded by director David Leitch and Kelly McCormack, the company hopes to continue to open the doorways for more aspiring stunt coordinators.
    Leia Mendoza, Variety, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Another shadow passed the doorway, heading toward the basement stairs.
    Blair Braverman, Outside, 28 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Way.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/way. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on way

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!