way

1 of 3

noun

ˈwā 

1

a

: a thoroughfare for travel or transportation from place to place

b

: an opening for passage

this door is the only way out of the room

2

: the course traveled from one place to another : route

asked the way to the museum

3

a

: a course (such as a series of actions or sequence of events) leading in a direction or toward an objective

led the way to eventual open heart operations

—Current Biography

b(1)

: a course of action

took the easy way out

(2)

: opportunity, capability, or fact of doing as one pleases

always manages to get her own way

c

: a possible decision, action, or outcome : possibility

they were rude—no two ways about it

4

a

: manner or method of doing or happening

admired her way of thinking

also : method of accomplishing : means

that's the way to do it

b

: feature, respect

in no way resembles her mother

c

: a usually specified degree of participation in an activity or enterprise

active in real estate in a small way

5

a

: characteristic, regular, or habitual manner or mode of being, behaving, or happening

knows nothing of the ways of women

b

: ability to get along well or perform well

she has a way with kids

a way with words

6

: the length of a course : distance

has come a long way in her studies

still have a way to go

7

: movement or progress along a course

worked her way up the corporate ladder

8

a

: direction

is coming this way

b

: participant

—usually used in combination

three-way discussion

9

: state of affairs : condition, state

that's the way things are

10

a

ways plural in form but sometimes singular in construction : an inclined structure upon which a ship is built or supported in launching

b

ways plural : the guiding surfaces on the bed of a machine along which a table or carriage moves

11

: category, kind

—usually used in the phrase in the way of

doesn't require much in the way of expensive equipment

—Forbes

12

: motion or speed of a ship or boat through the water

way

2 of 3

adjective

: of, connected with, or constituting an intermediate point on a route

way

3 of 3

adverb

1

informal

a

: by a long distance : to a considerable degree or extent : far

is way ahead of the class

sat way in the back row

b

: by far : much

ate way too much

that's way too expensive

c

: very sense 1

way cool

way excited

2

: all the way

pull the switch way back

Phrases

all the way

: to the full or entire extent : as far as possible

ran all the way home

seated all the way in the back

by the way

: by way of interjection or digression : incidentally

by way of

1

: for the purpose of

2

: by the route through : via

in a way

1

: within limits : with reservations

2

: from one point of view

in one's way or less commonly in the way

1

: in a position to be encountered by one : in or along one's course

an opportunity had been put in my way

—Ellen Glasgow

2

: in a position to hinder or obstruct

on the way or on one's way

: moving along in one's course : in progress

out of the way

1

: wrong, improper

didn't know I'd said anything out of the way

2

a

: in or to a secluded place

b

: unusual, remarkable

there's nothing out of the way about the plan

3

: done, completed

got his homework out of the way

the way

1

: in view of the manner in which

you'd think she was rich, the way she spends money

2

: like, as

we have cats the way other people have mice

—James Thurber

from way back

: of long standing

friends from way back

Synonyms

Noun

• arterial
• artery
• avenue
• boulevard
• carriageway [British]
• drag
• drive
• expressway
• freeway
• high road
• highway
• pass
• pike
• road
• roadway
• route
• row
• street
• thoroughfare
• thruway
• trace
• turnpike

Adverb

• achingly
• almighty
• archly
• awful
• awfully
• badly
• beastly
• blisteringly
• bone
• colossally
• corking
• cracking
• damn
• damned
• dang
• deadly
• desperately
• eminently
• enormously
• especially
• ever
• exceedingly
• exceeding
• extra
• extremely
• fabulously
• fantastically
• far
• fiercely
• filthy
• frightfully
• full
• greatly
• heavily
• highly
• hugely
• immensely
• incredibly
• intensely
• jolly
• majorly
• mightily
• mighty
• monstrous [chiefly dialect]
• mortally
• most
• much
• particularly
• passing
• rattling
• real
• really
• right
• roaring
• roaringly
• seriously
• severely
• so
• sore
• sorely
• spanking
• specially
• stinking
• such
• super
• supremely
• surpassingly
• terribly
• that
• thumping
• too
• unco
• uncommonly
• vastly
• very
• vitally
• whacking
• wicked
• wildly

Choose the Right Synonym for way

method, mode, manner, way, fashion, system mean the means taken or procedure followed in achieving an end.

method implies an orderly logical arrangement usually in steps.

effective teaching methods

mode implies an order or course followed by custom, tradition, or personal preference.

the preferred mode of transportation

manner is close to mode but may imply a procedure or method that is individual or distinctive.

an odd manner of conducting

way is very general and may be used for any of the preceding words.

has her own way of doing things

fashion may suggest a peculiar or characteristic way of doing something.

rushing about in his typical fashion

system suggests a fully developed or carefully formulated method often emphasizing rational orderliness.

a filing system

Examples of way in a Sentence

Noun

We'll try doing it your way first.

Let me explain it this way.

You can pay for your purchase in one of two ways: by cash or by credit card.

Which door is the way in?

The back way was blocked.

This door is the only way out of the room.

Adverb

He is way ahead of the other runners.

They live way out in the country.

We sat way back in the last row.

I missed a week of class and fell way behind.

Your parents are way cool.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

With that announcement, my memory raced back unhappily to the bad old days of J. Edgar Hoover — except in dramatic ways, Patel looks worse. —Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 15 Dec. 2024

For family offices, these changes present both an investment opportunity and new ways of working and living. —Francois Botha, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024

Adjective

Customers rave about these bags for their perfect size, sturdiness, detachable bottom, and multi-way straps. —Kelsey Stiegman, Seventeen, 6 Dec. 2022

The multi-way stretch fabric truly moves with you while maintaining its compression. —Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 13 Sep. 2022

Adverb

Sando’s Pick Six Weekend NHL rankings: Avalanche, Red Wings and way too many teams in crisis Dennis Schröder trade, weird Paul Reed waiver and is Marquette’s Kam Jones a lottery pick? —Mark Cooper, The Athletic, 17 Dec. 2024

The waterfront resort destination along the Intracoastal Waterway got its name from way back in 1956, when the location started as a Phillips 66 Petroleum yacht marina with a fueling dock and gas station. —Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 17 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English weg; akin to Old High German weg way, Old English wegan to move, Latin vehere to carry, via way

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1836, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1833, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing way

• across the way
• a little goes a long way
• all this way
• along the way
• a long way
• a long way to go
• American way
• any way you cut it
• any way you slice it
• a one-way ticket to Dullsville
• a way to go
• be on one's merry way
• bluff one's way
• bulldoze one's way
• buy one's way
• by way of explanation
• by way of illustration
• claw one's way
• clear the way
• come a long way
• eightfold way
• either way
• every inch of the way
• every inch/step of the way
• every step of the way
• every which way
• family way
• feel one's way
• fight one's way
• find a way into/to someone's heart
• find one's way
• force one's way
• four-way
• from way back
• get/stay/keep out of someone's/the way
• give way
• go all the way
• go a long way toward/towards
• go back a long way
• go either way
• go one's own way
• go on one's merry way
• go out of one's way
• go someone's way
• go the way of all flesh
• go way back
• grope one's way
• harm's way
• have a way of (being something or doing something)
• have a way with
• have/get one's (own) way
• have it one's (own) way
• have one's way with
• in a bad way
• in a big way
• in any way, shape, or form
• in a small way
• in every way
• in no way
• In no way shape or form
• in the ordinary way
• in the way of
• in the worst way
• inveigle one's way
• know one's way around
• laugh all the way to the bank
• lead the way
• light the way
• look the other way
• lose one's way
• make one's way
• make way
• muscle one's way
• not have to be that way
• no way
• one-way
• one-way mirror
• one way or another
• one-way ticket
• on someone's way out
• on the/someone's/something's way out
• open the way
• out of someone's way
• over the way
• pave the way
• pave the way for (something or someone)
• pay one's own way
• pay one's way
• pick one's way
• point the way
• right-of-way
• rub (someone) up the wrong way
• rub the wrong way
• see one's way (clear) to
• smooth the way
• stand in someone's way
• stand in the way
• take something the wrong way
• take the easy way out
• talk one's way
• talk one's way out of (something)
• that's the way it/life goes
• that's the way the cookie crumbles
• that/this way
• that way
• the American way
• the hard way
• the other way around
• the other way round
• the way it/life goes
• the way someone sees it
• the way things are going
• the way/ways of the world
• the whole/entire way
• the worst way
• this way and that
• three-way
• to someone's way of thinking
• two-way
• two-way mirror
• two-way street
• under way
• way of life
• way-out
• way station
• way to go
• weaseled his way out of
• weasel his way into
• where there's a will, there's a way
• which way the wind is blowing
• white way
• wing one's way
• work one's way

Kids Definition

way

1 of 2 noun

ˈwā 

1

a

: a track for travel : path

b

: an opening for passage (as through a crowd or a gate)

no way out

2

a

: a course traveled : route

b

: direction sense 3

come this way

the wrong way

3

a

: a course of action

chose the easy way

b

: opportunity or power of doing as one pleases

have your own way

c

: possibility sense 1

there are no two ways about it

4

a

: the manner in which something is done or happens

this way of thinking

a new way of painting

b

: a noticeable part or detail

a good worker in many ways

c

: state entry 1 sense 1a

the way things are

5

: a particular or typical manner of behavior

it's just his way

has a nice way with his pets

6

a

: distance entry 1 sense 1b

a short way down the road

b

: progress along a course

earning her way through school

made her way with difficulty

7

: locality

visit when you are out our way

8

: category sense 1

get what you need in the way of supplies

way

2 of 2 adverb

1

informal

a

: far entry 1 sense 1

is way ahead of the class

b

: far entry 1 sense 2

ate way too much

c

: very entry 2 sense 2

way cool

2

: all the way

pull the switch way back