subway

American  

[suhb-wey] / ˈsʌbˌweɪ /

noun

1. especially British, tube, underground.  an underground electric railroad, usually in a large city.

2. Chiefly British. a short tunnel or underground passageway for pedestrians, automobiles, etc.; underpass.

---

verb (used without object)

1. to be transported by a subway.

   We subwayed uptown.

subway British  

/ ˈsʌbˌweɪ /

noun

1. an underground passage or tunnel enabling pedestrians to cross a road, railway, etc

2. an underground passage or tunnel for traffic, electric power supplies, etc

3. an underground railway

---

Etymology

Origin of subway

First recorded in 1820–30; sub- + way ¹

Explanation

An underground transportation system on rails is called a subway. New York City's subway system has more stations than any other subway in the world. In most large cities, the subway is a good way to get where you need to go. Subways have many different local names, from the BART in San Francisco to the Métro in Paris to the U-Bahn in Berlin. Before subway came to mean "underground railway," it meant "underground passage for water pipes." And if you ask where the subway is in London, you'll be directed to an underground walkway, which is what subway means in the U.K.

Example Sentences

A transit porter and motorman with the New York City subway in the 1980s, Mr. Naiden was active in a tiny communist cell within the union, endorsing free fares and encouraging turnstile hopping.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

He talks about riding the subway with Lori Beer, the bank’s global chief information officer, “back to our respective residences the other night and talking about our tech road map for a specific vendor.”

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

A formal living room and dining room are on the first floor, as is the gorgeous kitchen with lots of shiny subway tile, marble counters, and an island with wine storage.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 25, 2026

In May, Metro will open the first phase of the D Line subway expansion spanning 5.1 miles between downtown Los Angeles and Koreatown.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

When he was little and started asking her about the men he saw on the subway who weren’t really there, the sweet grandmothers in synagogue who were years gone, he had legitimately frightened her.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

Related Words

• metro
• underground