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  • midway
    midway
    adverb
    in the middle of the way or distance; halfway.
  • Midway
    Midway
    noun
    several U.S. islets in the N Pacific, about 1,300 miles (2,095 km) NW of Hawaii: Japanese defeated in a naval battle June, 1942; 2 sq. mi. (5 sq. km).
Synonyms

midway

1 American  
[mid-way, mid-way] / ˈmɪdˈweɪ, ˈmɪdˌweɪ /

adverb

  1. in the middle of the way or distance; halfway.


noun

  1. a place or part situated midway.

  2. (often initial capital letter) the place or way, as at a fair or carnival, on or along which sideshows and similar amusements are located.

  3. the amusements, concessions, etc., located on or around this place or way.

Midway 2 American  
[mid-way] / ˈmɪdˌweɪ /

noun

  1. several U.S. islets in the N Pacific, about 1,300 miles (2,095 km) NW of Hawaii: Japanese defeated in a naval battle June, 1942; 2 sq. mi. (5 sq. km).

  2. an airport in Chicago.


midway British  
/ ˈmɪdˌweɪ /

adjective

  1. in or at the middle of the distance; halfway

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a place in a fair, carnival, etc, where sideshows are located

  2. obsolete a middle place, way, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of midway

First recorded before 900; Middle English midwei, Old English midweg; see mid 1, way 1; midway defs. 3, 4 after the Midway Plaisance, the main thoroughfare of the World Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago in 1893


Explanation

Anything midway between two points is halfway between them. A midway is also a place at a carnival where sideshow entertainment is located. Being midway is being at a midpoint or the center. If you're halfway between home and school, you're midway between those two places. At the end of sophomore year, you're midway through high school. Another type of midway is part of a fair or carnival. On the midway, you'll find sideshow amusements such as a bearded lady, a snake charmer, or someone swallowing a sword.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing midway

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:

While the home team never trailed, San Juan Hills cut the score to 47-44 midway through the fourth quarter after an improbable onside kick recovery.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026

The ride involved has not been specified but aerial footage from news helicopters showed the Goliath rollercoaster stopped midway, and multiple witnesses have identified the ride as the one involved in the incident.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

As Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen took the field midway through overtime on Monday night, he quickly realized who needed to take charge and put his team in position for a game-winning score.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

Ipswich lost last time out, against Everton, but they gave it a real go even when they went down to 10 men midway through the second half.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

Along the midway the Anti-Horse-Thief Society had a stand selling burgoo and roasting ears.

From "A Long Way from Chicago" by Richard Peck

She shares this with Hannah Neeleman, the Ballerina Farm influencer who recently opened a boutique in Midway, Utah, that is driving locals up the wall.

From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2026

Weber Pierson told the Times Monday that the amendments intended to help Midway Rising “haven’t crossed” the desk, meaning that the language hasn’t been inserted into Senate Bill 344.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

Exactly three months later, when Walter arrived in his private plane at Chicago Midway International Airport, federal agents stepped forward with a search warrant.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

Midway through his season with the Owls, Charles was handed the Northern Ireland armband by O'Neill just 10 days after his 21st birthday, the youngest player to captain the country since Terry Neill in 1963.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

Midway through Reggie’s sentence, he decided it was enough.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

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