freeway
Americannoun
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an express highway with no intersections, usually having traffic routed on and off by means of a cloverleaf.
-
a toll-free highway.
noun
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another name for expressway
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a major road that can be used without paying a toll
Etymology
Origin of freeway
Compare meaning
How does freeway compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A freeway is a busy, divided road with several lanes heading in both directions. The freeway is often to quickest way to get where you're going, unless there's a traffic jam or an accident slowing things down. People often use the terms freeway and highway interchangeably, and there's also parkway and expressway — or motorway, if you're in the UK. Traffic moves fast on the freeway, and its access is limited to exits that lead to and from smaller local roads and streets. There are no traffic signals on the freeway, but a crash or road work can sometimes bring traffic to a complete stop.
Vocabulary lists containing freeway
The Distance Between Us
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Land of the Cranes
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We Were Here
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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 pretend era of amateurism has given way to a freeway of mobility and cash.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026
The crash occurred on the northbound 215 freeway near Eucalyptus Avenue around 7:30 p.m.,
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
After an hour on a freeway passing through suburban towns of countless rows of identical worker housing, we turned onto a more rustic road, headed into the country’s mountainous region.
From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026
While public rest stops along the freeway are convenient, some vets avoid them because the trucks can be scary for dogs.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026
We head for the freeway, passing the Cedar Grove projects, where we used to live.
From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas
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.
