freeway

noun

free·​way ˈfrē-ˌwā How to pronounce freeway (audio)
Synonyms of freewaynext
1
: an expressway with fully controlled access
2
: a highway without toll fees

Synonyms of freeway

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Examples of freeway in a Sentence

a new driver who's nervous about driving on the freeway for the first time
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.
The neighborhood had a diner, churches, and dance halls — but construction of the Crosstown freeway in the late 1960s would lead to an exodus of Filipino residents. — Marlee Ginter, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 This week’s storm brought localized flooding to several freeways by Thursday morning, including parts of Highway 101 in Los Angeles and Ventura counties and Highway 1 in San Luis Obispo County, according to the National Weather Service. — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026 More important than the figures themselves is the engine’s broad, effortless power delivery, which makes the Carrera T feel eager whether carving through a mountain road or dispatching a stretch of freeway. — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026 Following the collision involving the patrol car, authorities diverted all eastbound Interstate 80 traffic off the freeway at Air Base Parkway. — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for freeway

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of freeway was in 1926

Rhymes for freeway

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free water
freeway
free weights
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Cite this Entry

“Freeway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freeway. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

freeway

noun
free·​way ˈfrē-ˌwā How to pronounce freeway (audio)
: a highway that is free of tolls

More from Merriam-Webster on freeway

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about freeway

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