one-way
Americanadjective
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moving, or allowing movement in one direction only.
a one-way street.
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valid for travel in one direction only.
a one-way ticket.
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without a reciprocal feeling, responsibility, relationship, etc..
It's a one-way friendship.
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not intended for return to a seller, dealer, etc., for reuse; disposable.
one-way bottles.
adjective
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moving or allowing travel in one direction only
one-way traffic
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entailing no reciprocal obligation, action, etc
a one-way agreement
Etymology
Origin of one-way
First recorded in 1815–25
Explanation
Something that's one-way only allows movement in one direction. A one-way street is marked with an arrow, and you better follow it! All cars, bikes, and motorcycles travel in the same direction on a one-way road, and you can say that traffic on one side of a divided highway is also one-way. You might encounter a one-way door at a supermarket, or a one-way line for entering a ride at an amusement park. You can also buy a one-way ticket on a bus or airplane, instead of a round trip that includes your ticket home.
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.
Ordinarily, Ukraine is able to stop more than 90% of the older one-way drones Russia sends.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
Guthrie wrote the weeper in 1948 to commemorate a plane crash in California’s Central Valley that killed all 32 on board, including 28 Mexican nationals with a one-way ticket back home.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
That would be truly remarkable — and would offer the greatest one-way bet in financial history.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
They are a one-way communication system and only able to receive messages, not send them, which was why they largely fell out of public use as more and more people started carrying mobile phones.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
The one-way glass and audio setup allow us to watch Peeta secretly.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
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.
