railroad

1 of 2

noun

rail·​road ˈrāl-ˌrōd How to pronounce railroad (audio)
ˈrel-;
ˈre-ˌrōd How to pronounce railroad (audio)
: a permanent road having a line of rails fixed to ties and laid on a roadbed and providing a track for cars or equipment drawn by locomotives or propelled by self-contained motors
also : such a road and its assets constituting a single property

railroad

2 of 2

verb

railroaded; railroading; railroads

transitive verb

1
a
: to convict with undue haste and by means of false charges or insufficient evidence
b
: to push through hastily or without due consideration
2
: to transport by railroad

intransitive verb

: to work for a railroad company
railroader noun

Examples of railroad in a Sentence

Noun that railroad hasn't been used for passenger trains for decades Verb a controversial law that is being railroaded through Congress a bill that was railroaded into law They claim she was railroaded.
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.
Noun
The city also plans to construct a bridge over the Union Pacific railroad track that bisects the parkway’s future path. Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Mar. 2025 Bokhari was also the lone vote on the City Council against a draft transit deal and purchasing railroad tracks for the Red Line train from uptown to the Lake Norman area. Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
Maybe this is a story about how some kid gets railroaded. Marah Eakin, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025 But much to Pakistan’s chagrin, bitter rival India railroaded the event and the Champions Trophy will be mostly remembered for their might on-and-off the field. Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for railroad

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1757, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1829, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of railroad was in 1757

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Railroad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/railroad. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

railroad

1 of 2 noun
rail·​road ˈrā(ə)l-ˌrōd How to pronounce railroad (audio)
1
: a permanent road that has parallel steel rails which make a track for cars
2
: a railroad together with the lands, buildings, locomotives, cars, and other equipment that belong to it

railroad

2 of 2 verb
1
a
: to send by railroad
b
: to work on a railroad
2
a
: to push (as a bill) through a legislature in a rush
b
: to convict and send to prison without much evidence or by means of false charges
railroader noun

More from Merriam-Webster on railroad

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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