ridesharing

American  

[rahyd-shair-ing] / ˈraɪdˌʃɛər ɪŋ /

Also rideshare, or ride-sharing

adjective

1. of or relating to the sharing of rides in a motor vehicle with other people, especially commuters.

   a ridesharing program to reduce overcrowding on the highways.

2. Also called real-time ridesharing.  of or relating to a car service that allows a person to use a smartphone app to arrange a ride in a usually privately owned vehicle.

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noun

1. an arrangement or instance involving the sharing of rides in a motor vehicle with other people, especially commuters.

   a statewide campaign to encourage ridesharing.

2. Also called real-time ridesharing.  a car service that allows a person to use a smartphone app to arrange a ride in a usually privately owned vehicle.

Etymology

Origin of ridesharing

First recorded in 1940–45; ride + share ¹ + -ing ¹ ; the term arose during World War II as part of an effort to conserve fuel and rubber

Example Sentences

The founder of French ridesharing firm Ecov, Thomas Matagne, summed up the crossroads decision-makers are facing.

From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026

Regulated taxicabs were always free to develop ridesharing and ride-hailing apps that we now associate with Uber and Lyft.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 31, 2025

And because it’s 2025, there’s a lot that feels very different, from ridesharing and microaggressions to all-gender public bathrooms and goat therapy.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 4, 2025

In addition, she hopes ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft, as well as cab companies, will provide more wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

From Salon • Dec. 16, 2023

Founded in 2014, Zoox has been working to develop a fully autonomous vehicle that caters to the ridesharing population.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 15, 2023