underpass

American  

[uhn-der-pas, -pahs] / ˈʌn dərˌpæs, -ˌpɑs /

noun

1. a passage running underneath, especially a passage for pedestrians or vehicles, or both, crossing under a railroad, road, etc.

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underpass British  

/ ˈʌndəˌpɑːs /

noun

1. a section of a road that passes under another road, railway line, etc

2. another word for subway

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Etymology

Origin of underpass

First recorded in 1900–05; under- + pass

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

underpass

Around the station, people who are still waiting for trains hurry to a pedestrian underpass that doubles as a shelter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

Videos circulating on social media showed police vans escorting a bar association vehicle carrying Mazari to court before it was stopped at an underpass, where masked security officials prevented journalists from filming the arrest.

From Barron's ● Jan. 24, 2026

Local media reported that an underpass in the area was sealed off.

From BBC ● Nov. 8, 2025

Eventually, they stopped the truck at a 10 Freeway underpass near Alameda and Newton streets and ditched the big rig.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2025

The underpass is dark, but I feel as though I can see someone in there, in the shadow's—someone watching us go.

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins

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Related Words

• bridge
• crossroad
• intersection
• junction
• overpass
• passage

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