# hwy

CEFR B1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hwy
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

a short way of writing the word 'highway' on signs or in addresses. You use it to save space when referring to a main road.

For teachers: a standard abbreviation for 'highway', used primarily in written contexts such as road signage, maps, and postal addresses.

## Examples

- The hotel is located just off Hwy 101.
- Construction crews will close two lanes of Hwy 50 tonight for emergency repairs.
- While the official documents list the route as a state road, local residents and signage consistently refer to it as Hwy 12.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I drove down the hwy." but "I drove down the highway." — The abbreviation 'hwy' is used for signs, maps, and addresses, but the full word 'highway' should be used in formal prose.

## Usage notes

- Typically written with a capital 'H' and often followed by a specific route number.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.