freeway
Americannoun
-
freeways
plural
-
an express highway with no intersections, usually having traffic routed on and off by means of a cloverleaf.
-
a toll-free highway.
noun
-
another name for expressway
-
a major road that can be used without paying a toll
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Land of the Cranes
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
We Were Here
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
The TeamLab building will be visible from the freeway, and is being designed by Smith-Clementi, OCVibe’s master planners.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
In 1984, the city commissioned 10 artists from Brockman to paint 10 freeway murals for the Summer Olympics.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
And the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton was impacted by the Henderson Fire, which prompted freeway closures and had burned at least 2,070 acres by Friday, according to Cal Fire.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
This is especially true until the services have freeway approval in a city, and then only if they deem it safe to use at the time of your ride.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
When they finally do, the car zooms forward, the tires screeching a little as we swerve onto the street that leads to the freeway.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
Unlike freeways, they may have driveways to specific parcels and at-grade intersections.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
The Los Angeles neighborhood, which gets its name from a massive boulder in the hills that resembles the face of an eagle, is sandwiched between Pasadena and Glendale and two major freeways.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Potential compromises: Because there are no major freeways, traffic on surface streets is often quite congested.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
There were a few small banners on lamp posts along freeways and a few billboards but it felt like functional promotion rather than excitement.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
Today I could not find my way around its newly built freeways, its thriving industrial complexes, its racially mixed, upscale suburban sprawl.
From "Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High" by Melba Pattillo Beals
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
