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expressway

C2
noun

Pronunciation

UK

  • /ɛksprˈɛsweɪ/

US

  • /ɪksˈprɛsˌweɪ/

Description

Imagine needing to cross a city or travel between towns without stopping at every local street. That's where an expressway helps. It is a wide main road built for faster travel, usually with separate lanes going in each direction and fewer direct entrances than ordinary roads. In many places, cars enter and leave by ramps, so traffic can keep moving. Some expressways are fully controlled like freeways, while others may still have a few junctions. If you want to avoid slower city traffic, taking an expressway is often the easier, faster choice.

Examples

  1. 1

    Airport travel

    We took the expressway to the airport and got there before rush hour.

  2. 2

    Traffic delay

    Traffic on the expressway was backed up for miles after the accident.

  3. 3

    Directions

    Once you come off the expressway, the hotel is only five minutes away.

See also

nouna major high-speed road with limited access

Similar

Shades of meaning

Contrast

  • surface street
  • local road

Do not confuse

  • express lane

Used with (collocations)

  • take the expressway
  • expressway exit
  • limited-access expressway
  • expressway traffic

Word family

Explore

  • road hierarchy
  • grade separation

Forms and spellings

2 forms open this card.

Main spelling

  • expresswaynoun

Forms

  • expresswayspluralnoun