beeline

1 of 2

noun

bee·​line ˈbē-ˌlīn How to pronounce beeline (audio)
: a straight direct course

beeline

2 of 2

verb

beelined; beelining; beelines

intransitive verb

: to go quickly in a straight direct course

Examples of beeline in a Sentence

Verb He beelined out the door.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Jim Harbaugh made a beeline toward midfield, shook Raiders coach Antonio Pierce’s hand and turned right around toward the sideline. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2024 After the medal ceremony, Huske made a beeline to her parents in the stands, falling into Ying’s arms. Rick Maese, Washington Post, 31 July 2024
Verb
But most municipal transportation systems were designed for workers beelining downtown, not for schoolchildren commuting across the city. Kendra Hurley, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2024 Other passengers beeline toward tables and help themselves to puzzles and games provided by the ship. Laura Randall, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for beeline 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'beeline.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

from the belief that nectar-laden bees return to their hives in a direct line

First Known Use

Noun

1830, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1882, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of beeline was in 1830

Dictionary Entries Near beeline

Cite this Entry

“Beeline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beeline. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

beeline

noun
bee·​line
ˈbē-ˌlīn
: a straight direct course

More from Merriam-Webster on beeline

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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