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:
Pori said he first asked Yosemite officials two years ago for an easement that would allow him to build his proposed road and was told “no.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
Once he had, he travelled by road to the capital, Kampala, and then Entebbe International Airport, where he boarded a flight to Nairobi on 3 October.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
A road in the province of Veraguas had cracks, according to images released by the local press.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Everyone says the same thing: cold beer, dirt road, Friday night.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
Then the bison all turned and regarded the four-wheel-drive road leading to a dust storm in the distance.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Without it, he said, guests at the rustic resort Pori is planning would have to drive about 45 minutes along winding dirt roads to reach the park’s main entrance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
Meanwhile, Chinese cars are already becoming a frequent sight on some U.S. roads, especially in states bordering Mexico.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Water from a massive swell — double the size that was initially predicted — blasted through 20-foot berms erected at the Wedge and washed out roads from about 21st Street to 6th Street, officials said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
“And you got to drive on good roads today.”
From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2026
Chunks of the unit 3 building littered roads around the complex, making it even harder to get around.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
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.
