interstate

American  

[in-ter-steyt, in-ter-steyt] / ˌɪn tərˈsteɪt, ˈɪn tərˌsteɪt /

adjective

1. connecting or involving different states.

   interstate commerce.

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noun

• interstates
  plural

1. a highway serving two or more states.

2. (sometimes initial capital letter) a highway that is part of the nationwide U.S. Interstate Highway System.

interstate British  

/ ˈɪntəˌsteɪt /

adjective

1. between or involving two or more of the states of the US, Australia, etc

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adverb

1. to or into another state

verb

1. a motorway crossing between states

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• noninterstate
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• interstates
  plural

Etymology

Origin of interstate

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; inter- + state

Compare meaning

How does interstate compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• interstate vs. intrastate
• interstate vs. highway

Explanation

If something is interstate, it happens between different U.S. states. For example, you can drive on Interstate 80 from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey. Yep, that's a trip. If you're driving from Rhode Island to Illinois, you can call it interstate travel, or an interstate road trip — you're going from state to state. An interstate highway connects different states together, like I-95, which is an east coast interstate highway that stretches from Maine to Florida. For short, you can call a road like this an interstate. This 20th century word combines inter-, "between," and state.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

interstate interstates

Way back in 1922, the interstate treaty governing its use allocated more water every year than the river can give.

From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026

The law “unquestionably taxes activity outside of Maryland,” the court wrote, and violates the so-called dormant Commerce Clause, a doctrine that restricts states from passing laws that burden interstate commerce.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

The U.S. passed legislation in the 1950s to substantially fund and expand the interstate highway system, boosting productivity, incomes and trade, including in regions where travel had been difficult.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

“Most of the people that travel the interstate have been in here. I mean, back in the heyday or whatever, we counted—one day, we had 86 people,” he bragged.

From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026

The car stole off the interstate, and past the cluster of motels to the north of Eagle Point.

From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman

It’s a breeze to get around, too, with access to major interstates, airports, passenger rail service, as well as water taxis and a bustling cruise ship boarding seaport.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2025

Or consider the fragmentary effects of America’s interstates, which throttle ecosystems and human communities alike.

From Slate ● May 25, 2024

In some areas, they needed it for up to 12 hours after the event started, inching their way back home on packed interstates and secondary roads.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 9, 2024

The Claiborne Expressway was built in the 1960s, when the construction of interstates and highways was a symbol of progress and economic development in the U.S.

From Salon ● Mar. 18, 2024

I know I should probably hate that about interstates and yearn for the halcyon days of yore, back when you could be drenched in local color at every turn— but whatever.

From "Paper Towns" by John Green

Related Words

• artery
• avenue
• boulevard
• freeway
• parking lot
• path
• roadway
• street
• superhighway
• thoroughfare
• track
• turnpike