roadbed

noun

road·​bed ˈrōd-ˌbed 

1

a

: the bed on which the ties, rails, and ballast of a railroad rest

b

: the ballast or the upper surface of the ballast on which the ties rest

2

a

: the earth foundation of a road prepared for surfacing

b

: the part of the surface of a road traveled by vehicles

Examples of roadbed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

May 15, 2024 The officers hopped down onto the roadbed, grabbed the victim by each arm and hoisted him back onto the platform, the video shows. —Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 16 May 2024

The roadbed may be washed out under the water, and you could be stranded or trapped. —Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 28 May 2024

One officer leaped back onto the platform, but the other cop had trouble getting off the roadbed because his gun belt kept striking the lip of the platform, an NYPD spokesman said. —Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 16 May 2024

Building a prototype truck and small-scale charging roadbed will be much easier than rebuilding thousands of miles of powered roads and adapting EV technology. —Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 25 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

roadbed

noun

road·​bed -ˌbed 

1

: the foundation of a road or railroad

2

: the part of the surface of a road that vehicles travel on