pave
verb (used with object)
to cover or lay (a road, walk, etc.) with concrete, stones, bricks, tiles, wood, or the like, so as to make a firm, level surface.
paved
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past participleof pave.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof pave.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
paveverb (used with object)to cover or lay (a road, walk, etc.) with concrete, stones, bricks, tiles, wood, or the like, so as to make a firm, level surface.
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.
Authorities have admitted to security and intelligence failures that paved the way for the clashes, large-scale looting and vandalism of public property that erupted on October 17.
From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026
The law changed the legal landscape and paved the way for the city to try again to pass a ban.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
We’re all paying the nauseating price now, and anyone who paved the way is complicit.
From Salon ● Oct. 14, 2026
Most are paved, likely to ease access for military vehicles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
I didn’t expect the streets of New York to be paved with gold, but I did expect them to be bright and cheerful, clean, lively.
From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago
