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noun A1 Beginner Very common

way

way
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Way (noun) means a road, path, or route from one place to another. Example: “Can you show me the way to the station?”

noun
1
A road, path, or route from one place to another.
"Can you show me the way to the station?"
2
A method or manner of doing something.
"There's more than one way to solve this problem."
"She has a funny way of explaining things."
3
A particular respect, degree, or aspect.
"In some ways, the new plan is actually simpler."
adv
1
By a great distance or degree; far.
"That's way too expensive for me."
"The concert is way better than I expected."

How to use way

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA path or route, or more broadly, a method, style, or degree of something.

Memory tip

As an intensifier ("way too much," "way better"), "way" is informal — fine in speech but not in formal writing.

Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
weigh →
Common pairings
find a way way of life no way by the way
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Word forms

Plural
ways
Third person singular
ways
Past tense
wayed
Test yourself on “way” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Can you show me the _____ to the station?

Etymology

From Old English weġ, an ancient word for "road" or "path" that goes all the way back to a shared Indo-European root also behind Latin vehere ("to carry").

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

View more →
route path road course passage track trail lane means room style direction

Related words

money line course means room current road street

Rhymes for way

ay may day say ray hay lay pay jay yay nay bay
See all rhymes for way →

Frequently asked questions

What does “way” mean?
The word “way” means a road, path, or route from one place to another. In plain terms, a path or route, or more broadly, a method, style, or degree of something.
How do you pronounce “way”?
“Way” is pronounced way ([weɪ] in IPA).
How do you use “way” in a sentence?
Here is “way” used in a sentence: “Can you show me the way to the station?”
What part of speech is “way”?
Depending on how it is used, “way” can be a noun and an adverb.
Where does the word “way” come from?
The word “way” comes from Latin. From Old English weġ, an ancient word for "road" or "path" that goes all the way back to a shared Indo-European root also behind Latin vehere ("to carry").
Is “way” a common word?
“Way” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “way” have?
“Way” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a road, path, or route from one place to another.
What is the difference between a way and a road?
A road is a specific paved route built for vehicles. A way is more general — it can be any route, path, or direction you take to reach a place, whether a road, a track, or an open course. Every road is a way, but not every way is a road.
What are the different meanings of way?
As a route, way means the path or course from one place to another, as in 'the way home.' Way also commonly means a method or manner of doing something ('the right way to cook rice') and can indicate distance or direction ('a long way off').
What is an example of way used to mean a route?
'Can you show me the way to the station?' Here way means the route to follow. Other examples include 'We lost our way in the forest' and 'This is the quickest way home,' all referring to the path or course between two places.

Example sentences

Real-world examples showing way in context, drawn from published sources. Any opinions expressed are those of the original source and do not reflect the views of FreeDict.com.

It took us another several thousands of years before we had the technology to confirm that in a western science way.
From The Guardian · Jul 26, 2026

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Vocabulary lists that include way:

3 letter words Words that start with W Words that end with Y A1 vocabulary words The 500 most common English words The 1000 most common English words The 2000 most common English words The 5000 most common English words

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money line course means room current road street
Definitions: FreeDict original editorial