Word
way
US/ˈweɪ/
UK/wˈeɪ/
Definitions
01a route or path
A1 · Beginner Countable noun
n. a route, road, or path you take to get somewhere.
n. a thoroughfare, route, or physical path leading from one place to another.
“Can you tell me the way to the nearest train station?”
“The hikers lost their way when the dense fog obscured the trail markers along the ridge.”
02a method
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. the method or style you use to do something.
n. a method, procedure, or manner of performing an action.
“I like the way she explains difficult math problems.”
“The company is looking for a more efficient way to manage its global supply chain without increasing costs.”
03direction
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. the direction that someone or something is moving.
n. the direction of movement or the position of something relative to the speaker.
“Look both ways before you cross the busy street.”
“The wind was blowing the wrong way, making it nearly impossible for the small boat to leave the harbour.”
Synonyms
04distance or time
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a certain distance or a period of time.
n. a distance in space or a duration of time.
“The hotel is a long way from the city centre.”
“We still have a long way to go before the project is ready for the public launch.”
05nautical movement
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Sports Technical
n. the movement or speed of a boat through the water.
n. the forward or backward motion of a vessel through the water; momentum.
“The ship slowly lost way as it approached the wooden dock.”
“The captain ordered the engines to stop, but the massive tanker carried its way for several miles before coming to a halt.”
06very or far
B1 · Intermediate Informal
adv. used to mean 'very' or 'by a large amount'.
adv. an intensifier indicating a great degree or a significant distance.
“The price of that new phone is way too high for me.”
“The actual results of the experiment were way beyond what the researchers had initially predicted.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “way” in context.
Verb
01. explore way
“The committee will explore ways to increase funding for the new project.”
verb + noun
Adjective
02. alternative way
“We need to find an alternative way to solve this problem if the first plan fails.”
adj + noun
03. appropriate way
“Is this the most appropriate way to address a senior manager?”
adj + noun
04. effective way
“Regular exercise is an effective way to reduce stress and improve health.”
adj + noun
05. way to make
06. ways to get
07. way to help
08. way back
09. way of life
10. ways to work
11. way too
12. ways to reduce
Real-World Examples
“In particular, though, I loved a Scottish fairytale called The Black Bull of Norroway, which I think, in many ways, has been under the surface of everything I’ve ever written.” “For him, those hours changed the way he thought about the people around him.” “All were, in certain ways, dark and adult, but also fun and bright, and silly and funny.” “My house?”
A few years ago, nobody in Taybeh thought trouble like this was coming their way.” Etymology
From Middle English way, wey, from Old English weġ, from Proto-West Germanic weg, from Proto-Germanic wegaz, from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ-. Doublet of voe and possibly via. Cognates Cognate with North Frisian wai, wäi (“way”), Saterland Frisian Wai (“way”), West Frisian wei (“road; way”), Central Franconian Wääch (“way”), Cimbrian bege, bèg (“way”), Dutch weg (“way”), German, Low German Weg (“way”), Limburgish waeg (“way”), Luxembourgish Wee (“way”), Mòcheno be (“way”), Yiddish וועג (veg, “way”), Danish vej (“way”), Faroese, Icelandic vegur (“way”), Norwegian Bokmål veg, vei (“way”), Norwegian Nynorsk veg (“way”), Swedish väg (“way”), Gothic 𐍅𐌹𐌲𐍃 (wigs, “path; road”).
Apheresis of away.
From the sound it represents, by analogy with other (velar) letters such as kay and gay.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
Idioms
01. a little of something goes a long way
02. all the way to Egery and back
03. by the way
04. come a long way
05. cry all the way to the bank
06. cut both ways
08. don't let the door hit you on the way out
09. feel one's way
10. fetch way
Show all 60
11. gather way
12. get one's way
13. go a long way
14. go all the way
18. go the way of
19. go the way of the dinosaurs
21. go the way of the dodo bird
23. have a way with
25. have it your way
26. have one's way
28. in any way, shape, or form
30. in the worst way
32. laugh all the way to the bank
34. make one's way
35. make the best of one's way
36. mend one's ways
39. no way
40. no ways
42. pave the way
43. plough one's way
44. plow one's way
45. push one's way
49. see which way the cat jumps
53. swing both ways
54. that way
55. the hard way
56. way back when
57. way of thinking
59. which way the wind is blowing
60. winning ways
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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