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Synonyms

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of subway

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

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.

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 January, Metro approved a multibillion-dollar plan for a 13-mile underground subway for the Sepulveda Transit Corridor connecting the San Fernando Valley to the Westside.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

The police told her on Thursday that guests may be allowed to board police buses if the nearest subway station is closed.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

Today, it’s the posters plastered on the dingy tile walls of the subway station at 135th and St. Nicholas.

From "Watch Us Rise" by Renée Watson and Ellen Hagan

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.