under way
Americanadjective
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Also (of a ship) no longer in port, at anchor, etc.; moving.
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no longer at rest, stationary, etc.; in motion; traveling.
We'll put our bags in the car and be under way.
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proceeding; in progress.
Plans are under way to sell the company.
adjective
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in progress; in operation
the show was under way
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nautical in motion
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In motion, as in The ship got under way at noon . [c. 1930]
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Already started, in progress, as in Plans are under way to expand . [c. 1930]
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.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday denied that talks about an aerial ceasefire were under way.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
A fourth heatwave of the year is now under way for parts of the UK, with temperatures expected to climb into the mid-30s Celsius later this week.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Sunday's final gets under way at 20:05 BST, with the Women's World Matchplay taking place in the afternoon session from 13:00 – Beau Greaves and defending champion Lisa Ashton the top two seeds.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
A manhunt involving helicopters and officers from several German states was under way across the capital on Sunday.
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
The effort was real, and the work was well under way.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
