# paved

/ˈpeɪvd/ (US) · /pˈeɪvd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/paved
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. covered with a hard surface

adjective · CEFR B1

covered with a hard, flat surface like stone, concrete, or asphalt.

For teachers: covered with a durable, man-made surface such as pavement, asphalt, or stone slabs.

- The paved road was much easier to cycle on than the muddy path.
- The city council prioritised the maintenance of paved walkways in the historic district to ensure pedestrian safety during the winter months.

### 2. past action of covering a surface

verb · CEFR B2

the past tense of 'pave', meaning you covered a path with a hard material.

For teachers: the past tense and past participle of the transitive verb 'pave', referring to the act of laying a hard surface.

- They paved the driveway last summer to stop the car from getting stuck in the mud.
- After the utility company finished the repairs, they paved the section of the street they had excavated to restore the original traffic flow.

### 3. to prepare the way

verb · CEFR B2

used in the phrase 'paved the way' to mean making it easier for something to happen later.

For teachers: used figuratively in the idiom 'pave the way' to describe the act of creating circumstances that allow for future developments.

- Her hard work paved the way for other women to join the company.
- The success of the initial pilot programme paved the way for a nationwide rollout of the new educational software.

## Examples

- The old town has beautiful paved streets.
- The city replaced the muddy trail with a paved walkway to make it accessible for wheelchairs and strollers.
- While the main highways are fully paved, many of the secondary roads leading into the mountain villages remain rugged and unsealed, making travel difficult during the rainy season.

---

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.