right-of-way

noun

ˌrīt-ə(v)-ˈwā 

plural rights-of-way also right-of-ways

1

: a legal right of passage over another person's ground

2

a

: the area over which a right-of-way exists

b

: the strip of land over which is built a public road

c

: the land occupied by a railroad especially for its main line

d

: the land used by a public utility (as for a transmission line)

3

a

: a precedence in passing accorded to one vehicle over another by custom, decision, or statute

b

: the right of traffic to take precedence

c

: the right to take precedence over others

gave the bill the right-of-way in the Senate

Synonyms

• precedence
• priority

Examples of right-of-way in a Sentence

the bill for emergency aid was immediately granted right-of-way

Recent Examples on the Web

In 1963, before the litigation was resolved, the right-of-way was sold to a local family, who continued local freight service. —Michael Wells, Kansas City Star, 9 Mar. 2025

The 16- to 20-foot wide strips of land are public rights-of-way, and typically don’t have a lot of underground infrastructure, according to Andrew Barbeau, president of the Accelerate Group consulting firm, and the technical lead for the Blacks in Green geothermal project. —Nara Schoenberg, Chicago Tribune, 6 Mar. 2025

Three of the alternatives would include a tunnel: beneath the community’s main road known as Camino Del Mar; under the city’s Crest Canyon; or along the edge of the Del Mar Fairgrounds below the Interstate 5 right-of-way. —Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Mar. 2025

Billboard companies have little stake in protecting the land around the signs, since the public right-of-ways are managed by the state, Longest said. —Nora O’Neill, Charlotte Observer, 4 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for right-of-way

• aaa
• adonais
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway

Kids Definition

right-of-way

noun

ˌrīt-ə(v)-ˈwā

plural rights-of-way

1

: a legal right to pass over another person's land

2

: the area over which a right-of-way exists

3

: the right of certain traffic to go ahead of other traffic

4

: priority sense 1

gave the bill the right-of-way in the Senate

Legal Definition

right-of-way

1

: an easement or servitude over another's land conferring a right of passage

2

a

: the area over which a right-of-way exists

b

: the strip of land over which is built a public road

c

: the land occupied by a railroad especially for its main line

d

: the land used by a public utility (as for a transmission line)

3

a

: a precedence in passing accorded to one vehicle over another by custom, decision, or statute

b

: the right of traffic to take precedence