railway

noun

rail·​way ˈrāl-ˌwā How to pronounce railway (audio)
: railroad
especially : a railroad operating with light equipment or within a small area

Examples of railway in a Sentence

a system of railways that crisscrosses the whole nation
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.
Both have been neglected for years: Bridges are crumbling, school buildings disintegrating, and trains — once a symbol of German efficiency — are now so unreliable that some lines are banned from neighboring Switzerland’s railways. Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 4 June 2025 Meanwhile, Russian railway authorities say a separate rail bridge collapsed in the neighboring Kursk region hours later — derailing a freight train and injuring several crew members. Charles Maynes, NPR, 2 June 2025 Hours later in the Kursk region, a railway bridge collapsed while a freight train was crossing it, according to acting Gov. Alexander Khinshtein. Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 1 June 2025 Justice Neil Gorsuch recused himself from the case following scrutiny over his past ties to billionaire Philip Anschutz, a Colorado oil magnate whose business interests could benefit from the railway's construction. Barney Henderson, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for railway

Word History

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of railway was in 1681

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Railway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/railway. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

railway

noun
rail·​way ˈrā(ə)l-ˌwā How to pronounce railway (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on railway

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