1
: moving or allowing movement in either direction
a two-way bridge
2
a
: involving or allowing an exchange between two individuals or groups
there must be good two-way communicationJerrold Orne
especially : designed for both sending and receiving messages
two-way radio
b
: involving mutual responsibility or reciprocal relationships
political alliance is a two-way thingT. H. White †1986
3
a
: involving two participants
a two-way race
b
sports : playing on both the offensive and defensive squads of a team (as in American football)
Frost, a throwback to the era of two-way players, is the Cardinal's starting free safety and backup quarterback.The New York Times
also : playing both offense and defense well
a basketball forward who's a talented two-way player
4
: usable in either of two manners
a two-way lamp
5
: being a cock or valve that will connect a pipe or channel with either of two others

Examples of two-way in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The Lakers were already down several bodies in their frontcourt, with Christian Wood (offseason left knee surgery) and Jarred Vanderbilt (offseason feet surgery) sidelined, leaving two-way center Christian Koloko as the only available big man behind Davis. Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 13 Nov. 2024 This interaction with the festive content is a two-way street: as much as retailers are orchestrating it, consumers are feeding it with enthusiasm. Kate Hardcastle, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 Kobe Johnson, who took his spot in the starting lineup, was a two-way force with his scoring, passing and active defense. Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024 With the prevalence of two-way players, the roster will likely be far less than 26, the number typically suited up for an MLB game. David K. Li, NBC News, 2 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for two-way 

Word History

First Known Use

1571, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of two-way was in 1571

Dictionary Entries Near two-way

Cite this Entry

“Two-way.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/two-way. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

two-way

adjective
1
: moving or acting or allowing movement or action in either direction
two-way traffic
a two-way street
2
a
: involving two persons or groups
communication is a two-way process
b
: made to send and receive messages
a two-way radio

More from Merriam-Webster on two-way

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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