1
: that moves in or allows movement in only one direction
a one-way street
2
: one-sided, unilateral
a one-way conversation
3
: that functions in only one of two or more ways

Examples of one-way in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But the support cannot be a one-way street, López says. Aditi Shrikant, CNBC, 27 Dec. 2024 Earlier this year, several of the peers objected on human rights grounds to a plan by the previous Conservative government to put asylum seekers on one-way flights to Rwanda (the law passed anyway but was scrapped by the Labour government). Mark Landler, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024 This group still has a ton of offensive talent and will score a lot of goals, but decisions were made to build a third line that could outwork opponents as opposed to adding more high-end skill and to add steady two-way defenders instead of one-way skill types. Corey Pronman, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024 City officials have sought to differentiate the one-way tickets from the Texas bus program that sparked the influx in New York, but the parallels are unmistakable. Luis Ferré-Sadurní, New York Times, 23 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for one-way 

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of one-way was in 1824

Cite this Entry

“One-way.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-way. Accessed 7 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

one-way

adjective
1
: moving or allowing movement in one direction only
2

More from Merriam-Webster on one-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!