metals
6 synonyms and 0 antonyms for metals, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The steel rails and track of a railway system, considered as a network.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Frequently asked questions
What does “metals” mean?
The word “metals” means the steel rails and track of a railway system, considered as a network. In plain terms, a somewhat old-fashioned railway term for the rail tracks themselves.
How do you use “metals” in a sentence?
Here is “metals” used in a sentence: “The old branch line’s metals were torn up decades ago.”
What part of speech is “metals”?
“Metals” is a noun.
Is “metals” a common word?
“Metals” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between "metals" and "rails" in railway language?
"Rails" are the individual steel bars that a train's wheels run on, while "the metals" is a collective term for the rails and track considered as a whole route or network. The two overlap, but "metals" emphasises the line as a connected system.
In what context is "metals" used to mean railway track?
This sense of "metals" is used chiefly in railway and engineering settings, and it is more common in British usage. In everyday language, "metals" is simply the plural of "metal," meaning materials such as iron, gold, or copper.