road
Americannoun
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roads
plural
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a long, narrow stretch with a smoothed or paved surface, made for traveling by motor vehicle, carriage, etc., between two or more points; street or highway.
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a way or course.
the road to peace.
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a railroad.
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Also called roadstead. Nautical. Often roads a partly sheltered area of water near a shore in which vessels may ride at anchor.
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Mining. any tunnel in a mine used for hauling.
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the road, the places, usually outside of New York City, at which theatrical companies on tour generally give performances.
idioms
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on the road,
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traveling, especially as a sales representative.
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on tour, as a theatrical company.
The musical ends its New York run next week to go on the road.
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started; under way.
We need funds to get the project on the road.
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take to the road, to begin a journey or tour. Also take the road.
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take the high road. see take the high road.
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hit the road, to begin or resume traveling.
We hit the road before sunrise.
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down the road, in the future.
Economists see higher interest rates down the road.
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one for the road, a final alcoholic drink taken just before departing from a party, tavern, or the like.
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burn up the road, to drive or move very fast.
noun
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an open way, usually surfaced with asphalt or concrete, providing passage from one place to another
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( as modifier )
road traffic
a road map
a road sign
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( in combination )
the roadside
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a street
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( capital when part of a name )
London Road
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short for railroad
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one of the tracks of a railway
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a way, path, or course
the road to fame
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Also called: roadstead. (often plural) nautical a partly sheltered anchorage
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a drift or tunnel in a mine, esp a level one
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slang to start or resume travelling
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travelling, esp as a salesman
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(of a theatre company, pop group, etc) on tour
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leading a wandering life
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to begin a journey or tour
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informal a last alcoholic drink before leaving
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of road
First recorded before 900; Middle English rode, earlier rade, Old English rād “a riding, journey on horseback,” akin to rīdan “to ride ”
Explanation
A road is a wide, usually paved path that's big enough for cars to travel on. There are some roads that are so long, you can follow them from one coast of the U.S. to the other. While some roads can be traveled by pedestrians, the word usually specifies a thoroughfare for vehicles, especially cars, trucks, and buses. The longest road in the United States is U.S. Route 20, which stretches from Oregon to Massachusetts. Figuratively, a road can also be a means to an end, or the way to achieve a certain result: "She's on the road to success!" or "He wasn't feeling well yesterday, but now he's on the road to recovery."
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:
When this Motown-y gem did even better than “Lover,” Mellencamp hit the road with the Kinks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
Vollering backed her embattled teammate Gery and everyone took the high road.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
Yet the song was actually Mellencamp’s response to the emptiness he felt as a famous divorcé on the road playing the biggest concerts of his life.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
AFP visited Pozos de Gamboa and observed that on the road here from the state capital, also called Zacatecas, there were no roadblocks and just a few police patrol cars out and about.
From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026
Meanwhile, Don Quixote had met other people farther up the road, some merchants and their servants.
From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios
Their customers are oil-and-gas producers that pay for the right to build roads, drill wells and dump toxic water that is produced alongside the oil they bring to the surface.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
Beyond its role as a major creditor, China has built a broad economic presence in Zambia, with interests spanning copper mining, roads, airports, power projects and industrial parks.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
“Significant damage to roads or structures is not expected.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
All I see is traffic, roads are still unbuilt, and I’m still having an affordability crisis,’ ” Lavina said.
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026
The spirits had brought the Fox sisters a long way from the dirt roads of Hydesville.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
