avenue

noun

av·​e·​nue ˈa-və-ˌnü 

-ˌnyü

1

: a way of access : route

2

: a channel for pursuing a desired object

avenues of communication

3

a

chiefly British : the principal walk or driveway to a house situated off a main road

b

: a broad passageway bordered by trees

4

: an often broad street or road

Synonyms

• arterial
• artery
• boulevard
• carriageway [British]
• drag
• drive
• expressway
• freeway
• high road
• highway
• pass
• pike
• road
• roadway
• route
• row
• street
• thoroughfare
• thruway
• trace
• turnpike
• way

Examples of avenue in a Sentence

We drove down the avenue.

We plan to pursue all available avenues to get our message to the public.

They have closed off that avenue of discussion.

a new avenue of research

Recent Examples on the Web

But most scenes exhaust all comic avenues within a few seconds. —J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 14 Mar. 2025

The installation, which can be found on Phoenix's Grand Avenue between 10th and 11th avenues, went up in early March. —Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025

Probation lasts between one and two years, depending on the agency, and probationary workers have fewer avenues to contest their firing. —Erin Mansfield, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2025

And that presence translates to other avenues as well. —Expert Panel®, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French, from feminine of avenu, past participle of avenir to come to, from Latin advenire — more at adventure

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for avenue

• accrue
• ado
• ainu
• aircrew
• airscrew
• anew
• askew
• baboo
• babu
• bamboo
• beaucoup
• bijou

Kids Definition

avenue

noun

av·​e·​nue ˈav-ə-ˌn(y)ü 

1

: a way or route to a place or goal : path

2

: a usually wide street