one-way
Americanadjective
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moving, or allowing movement in one direction only.
a one-way street.
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valid for travel in one direction only.
a one-way ticket.
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without a reciprocal feeling, responsibility, relationship, etc..
It's a one-way friendship.
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not intended for return to a seller, dealer, etc., for reuse; disposable.
one-way bottles.
adjective
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moving or allowing travel in one direction only
one-way traffic
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entailing no reciprocal obligation, action, etc
a one-way agreement
Etymology
Origin of one-way
First recorded in 1815–25
Explanation
Something that's one-way only allows movement in one direction. A one-way street is marked with an arrow, and you better follow it! All cars, bikes, and motorcycles travel in the same direction on a one-way road, and you can say that traffic on one side of a divided highway is also one-way. You might encounter a one-way door at a supermarket, or a one-way line for entering a ride at an amusement park. You can also buy a one-way ticket on a bus or airplane, instead of a round trip that includes your ticket home.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The ports plan to jointly spend $60 million from that fund on a per-move incentive program that would award battery-electric truck operators $60 for each one-way trip to or from the ports.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
Los Angeles has some of the lowest public transit fares in the country with a regular one-way ticket on both Metro buses and rail lines costing $1.75.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
He had booked one-way plane tickets from San Francisco to Saudi Arabia via Istanbul for himself, his wife and their three-month old son on Oct.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
Before his arrest, Alfozan bought a one-way ticket to Riyadh for October 12, with prosecutors arguing that such a move demonstrated he was a flight risk.
From Barron's ● Oct. 19, 2026
Delta Airlines told me a one-way ticket to Idlewild Airport would cost seventy-three dollars.
From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
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