Definition of 'way'

Word Frequency

way noun and adverb uses

(weɪ )

Word forms: ways

1. countable noun

If you refer to a way of doing something, you are referring to how you can do it, for example, the action you can take or the method you can use to achieve it.

Freezing isn't a bad way of preserving food.

I worked myself into a frenzy plotting ways to make him jealous.

There just might be a way.

2. countable noun

If you talk about the way someone does something, you are talking about the qualities their action has.

She smiled in a friendly way.

He had a strange way of talking.

Synonyms: manner, style, fashion, mode More Synonyms of way

3. countable noun

If a general statement or description is true in a particular way, this is the form of it that is true in a particular case.

Computerized reservation systems help airline profits in several ways.

She was afraid in a way that was quite new to her.

4. countable noun

You use way in expressions such as in some ways, in many ways, and in every way to indicate the degree or extent to which a statement is true.

In some ways, the official opening is a formality.

5. plural noun

The ways of a particular person or group of people are their customs or their usual behavior.

He denounces people who urge him to alter his ways.

She began to study the ways of the Native Americans.

6. singular noun

If you refer to someone's way, you are referring to their usual or preferred type of behavior.

She is now divorced and, in her usual resourceful way, has started her own business.

7. countable noun

You use way to refer to one particular opinion or interpretation of something, when others are possible.

I suppose that's one way of looking at it.

With most of her lyrics, however, there are several different ways of interpreting the words.

8. countable noun

You use way when mentioning one of a number of possible, alternative results or decisions.

There is no indication which way the vote could go.

9. singular noun

The way you feel about something is your attitude to it or your opinion about it.

I'm so sorry – I had no idea you felt that way.

10. singular noun

If you mention the way that something happens, you are mentioning the fact that it happens.

I hate the way he manipulates people.

11. singular noun

You use way in expressions such as push your way, work your way, or eat your way, followed by a prepositional phrase or adverb, in order to indicate movement, progress, or force as well as the action described by the verb.

She thrust her way into the crowd.

12. countable noun

The way somewhere consists of the different places that you go through or the route that you take in order to get there.

Does anybody know the way to the bathroom?

I'm afraid I can't remember the way.

13. singular noun

If you go or look a particular way, you go or look in that direction.

As he strode into the kitchen, he passed Pop coming the other way.

They paused at the top of the stairs, doubtful as to which way to go next.

14. singular noun

You can refer to the direction you are traveling in as your way.

[spoken]

She would say she was going my way and offer me a lift.

15. singular noun

If you lose your way, you take a wrong or unfamiliar route, so that you do not know how to get to the place that you want to go to. If you find your way, you manage to get to the place that you want to go to.

The men lost their way in a sandstorm and crossed the border by mistake.

16. countable noun

You talk about people going their different ways in order to say that their lives develop differently and they have less contact with each other.

It wasn't until we each went our separate ways that I began to learn how to do things for myself.

17. singular noun

If something comes your way, you get it or receive it.

Take advantage of the opportunities coming your way in a couple of months.

18. singular noun

You use way in expressions such as the right way up and the other way around to refer to one of two or more possible positions or arrangements that something can have.

Books have a right and a wrong way up.

19. adverb [ADV adv/prep]

You can use way to emphasize, for example, that something is a great distance away or is very much below or above a particular level or amount.

[emphasis]

Way down in the valley to the west is the town of Freiburg.

You've waited way too long.

20. plural noun

If you split something a number of ways, you divide it into a number of different parts or quantities, usually fairly equal in size.

The region was split three ways, between Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria.

21. singular noun

Way is used in expressions such as a long way, a little way, and quite a way, to say how far away something is or how far you have traveled.

Some of them live in places quite a long way from here.

A little way further down the lane we passed the driveway to a house.

Synonyms: distance, length, stretch, journey More Synonyms of way

22. singular noun

Way is used in expressions such as a long way, a little way, and quite a way, to say how far away in time something is.

Success is still a long way off.

23. singular noun

You use way in expressions such as all the way, most of the way and half the way to refer to the extent to which an action has been completed.

He had unscrewed the caps most of the way.

Synonyms: will, demand, wish, desire More Synonyms of way

More Synonyms of way

Word Frequency

way phrases: group 1

(weɪ )

Word forms: ways

See all the way

See you can't have it both ways

See by the way

See clear the way/open the way/prepare the way

See the easy way out

See either way

See the way forward

See get one's way/have one's way/get one's own way/have one's own way

10.

See give way to

11.

See to give way

Word Frequency

way phrases: group 2

(weɪ )

Word forms: ways

See in no way

See in a way

See in the way

See get in the way

See know one's way around sth/know one's way about sth

See to lead the way

See lead the way

See have come a long way

See a long way from/some way from

10.

See to go a long way

Word Frequency

way phrases: group 3

(weɪ )

Word forms: ways

See lose one's way

See make one's way

See make way

See there's no way

See no way

See be on one's way

See on the way

See on one's way/well on one's way

See on the way/on its way

10.

See one way or another/one way or the other

11.

See one way or another/one way or the other

Word Frequency

way phrases: group 4

(weɪ )

Word forms: ways

See the other way around

See on the way out

See go out of one's way

See keep out of sb's way/stay out of sb's way

See be out of the way

See go one's own way

See in the same way

See that way/this way

10. See also underway

Word Frequency

-way

(-weɪ )

1. combining form in adjective

-way combines with numbers to form adjectives that describe a means of communication that functions or takes place between the stated number of people.

...a two-way radio.

Features include caller ID and three-way calling.

2. See also one-way, two-way

Video: pronunciation of
way

way in American English

(weɪ )

noun

a means of passing from one place to another, as a road, highway, street or path

the Appian Way

room or space for passing; free area; an opening, as in a crowd or traffic

clear a way for the ambulance

a route or course that is or may be used to go from one place to another

often used in combination

highway, railway, one-way street

a specified route or direction

on the way to town

a path in life; course or habits of life or conduct

to fall into evil ways

a course of action; method or manner of doing something

do it this way

a means to an end; method

a way to cut costs

a usual or customary manner of living, acting, or being

the way of the world

a characteristic manner of acting or doing

to learn the ways of other people

manner or style

to have a pleasant way

10.

distance

a long way off

11.

direction of movement or action

go this way; look this way

12.

respect; point; particular; feature

to be right in some ways

13.

what one desires; wish; will

to have or get one's own way

14.

range or scope, as of experience

a method that never came in his way

15.

relationship as to those taking part

used in hyphenated compounds

a four-way conversation

16. Informal

a (specified) state or condition

to be in a bad way

17. Informal

a district; locality; area

out our way

18. Law; Rare

right of way (sense 2)

19. Mechanics

a surface or slide on which the carriage of a lathe, etc. moves along its bed

20. Nautical

a ship's movement or momentum through water

21. [pl.]; Shipbuilding

a timber framework on which a ship is built and along which it slides in launching

adverb

22. Informal

away; far; to a considerable extent or at some distance

way behind

Idioms:

Word origin

ME < OE weg, akin to Ger < IE base *weĝh-, to go > L vehere, to carry, ride, Gr ochos, wagon

Word Frequency

way in American English 1

(wei)

noun

manner, mode, or fashion

a new way of looking at a matter

to reply in a polite way

characteristic or habitual manner

Her way is to work quietly and never complain

a method, plan, or means for attaining a goal

to find a way to reduce costs

a respect or particular

The plan is defective in several ways

a direction or vicinity

Look this way. We're having a drought out our way

passage or progress on a course

to make one's way on foot

to lead the way

7. (often ways)

distance

They've come a long way

a path or course leading from one place to another

What's the shortest way to town?

9. Brit

an old Roman or pre-Roman road

Icknield Way

a minor street in a town

He lives in Stepney Way

10. (usually used in combination)

a road, route, passage, or channel

highway

waterway

doorway

11. Law

a right of way

12.

any line of passage or travel, used or available

to blaze a way through dense woods

13.

space for passing or advancing

to clear a way through the crowd

14. (often ways)

a habit or custom

The grandmother lived by the ways of the old country

15.

course or mode of procedure that one chooses or wills

They had to do it my way

16.

condition, as to health, prosperity, or the like

to be in a bad way

17.

range or extent of experience or notice

the best device that ever came in my way

18.

a course of life, action, or experience

The way of transgressors is hard

19. informal

business

to be in the haberdashery way

20. Nautical

a. See ways

movement or passage through the water

21. Machinery

a longitudinal strip, as in a planer, guiding a moving part along a surface

22. See by the way

23. See by way of

24. See come one's way

25. See give way

26. See give way to

27. See go all the way

28. See go out of one's way

29. See have a way with

30. See have one's way with

31. See in a family way

32. See in a way

33. See in someone's way

34. See lead the way

35. See make one's way

36. See make way

37. See no way

38. See out of the way

39. See pave the way to

40. See see one's way clear

41. See take one's way

Derived forms

wayless

adjective

Word origin

[bef. 900; ME wei(gh)e, wai, OE weg; c. D, G Weg, ON vegr, Goth wigs; akin to L vehere to carry]

Word Frequency

way in American English 2

(wei)

adverb

1. Also: 'way

away; from this or that place

Go way

to a great degree or at quite a distance; far

way too heavy

way down the road

Word origin

[1175–1225; ME, aph. var. of away]

Word Frequency

way in British English

(weɪ )

noun

a manner, method, or means

a way of life

a way of knowing

a route or direction

the way home

a means or line of passage, such as a path or track

(in combination)

waterway

space or room for movement or activity (esp in the phrases make way, in the way, out of the way)

distance, usually distance in general

you've come a long way

a passage or journey

on the way

characteristic style or manner

I did it in my own way

8. (often plural)

habits; idiosyncrasies

he has some offensive ways

an aspect of something; particular

in many ways he was right

10.

a street in or leading out of a town

(capital when part of a street name)

Icknield Way

11.

something that one wants in a determined manner (esp in the phrases get or have one's (own) way)

12.

the experience or sphere in which one comes into contact with things (esp in the phrase come one's way)

13. informal

a state or condition, usually financial or concerning health (esp in the phrases in a good (or bad) way)

14. informal

the area or direction of one's home

drop in if you're ever over my way

15.

movement of a ship or other vessel

16.

a right of way in law

17.

a guide along which something can be moved, such as the surface of a lathe along which the tailstock slides

18. (plural)

the wooden or metal tracks down which a ship slides to be launched

19.

a course of life including experiences, conduct, etc

the way of sin

20. archaic

calling or trade

21. See by the way

22. See by way of

23. See each way

24. See give way

25. See give way to

26. See go out of one's way

27. See have a way with

28. See have it both ways

29. See in a way

30. See in no way

31. See lead the way

32. See make one's way

33. See no way

34. See on the way out

35. See out of the way

36. See pay one's way

37. See see one's way

38. See the way

39. See under way

adverb

40. informal

at a considerable distance or extent

way over yonder

very far

they're way up the mountain

41. informal

by far; considerably

way better

42. slang

truly; genuinely

they have a way cool site

Word origin

Old English weg; related to Old Frisian wei, Old Norse vegr, Gothic wigs

Examples of 'way' in a sentence
way

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

He promised to make an effort but he was soon back to his old ways.Your love chart is packed with surprises just the way you like it.The way you make people feel good about themselves wins support for your home plans.The bad news is that they could go all the way back down again. Perhaps this is one way to add years to our life and life to our years.There is no better way to make something unspeakable than not to name it.They always look a little bit saucy and a long way away from school uniform tights.Things have not gone her way this season but there have been excuses.Your thoughts go deep and you find a way to talk and listen that really encourages others.An alternative way of transferring money from one generation to another is to make what are called regular gifts from income.