gantlet

¹ American  

[gant-lit, gawnt-] / ˈgænt lɪt, ˈgɔnt- /

noun

1. Railroads. a track construction used in narrow places, in which two parallel tracks converge so that their inner rails cross, run parallel, and diverge again, thus allowing a train to remain on its own track at all times.

2. gauntlet.

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verb (used with object)

1. Railroads. to form or lay down as a gantlet.

   to gantlet tracks.

gantlet ² American  

[gant-lit, gawnt-] / ˈgænt lɪt, ˈgɔnt- /

noun

1. gauntlet.

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gantlet ¹ British  

/ ˈɡæntlɪt, ˈɡɔːnt- /

noun

1. a section of a railway where two tracks overlap

2. a variant spelling of gauntlet 2

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gantlet ² British  

/ ˈɡɔːnt-, ˈɡæntlɪt /

noun

1. a variant of gauntlet 1

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Other Word Forms

• gantleted
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of gantlet

First recorded in 1900–05; variant of gantlope

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gantlet

New seats are run through a gantlet of tests to prove that they’re safe for passengers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026

Awards season itself is its own kind of gantlet.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 15, 2026

But to make their way into the civilian world—not just personal electronics but delivery drones, self-driving cars, cruise ships and airliners—they’ve got to run a gantlet of tests.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 6, 2026

However, as will be well familiar for those who have run the gantlet on investing in China, regulatory risks loom large.

From Barron's ● Dec. 23, 2025

Once upon a time, you ran the gantlet, but you threw down the gauntlet.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner