subway

noun

sub·​way ˈsəb-ˌwā 

: an underground way: such as

a

: a passage under a street (as for pedestrians, power cables, or water or gas mains)

b

: a usually electric underground railway

c

: underpass

subway intransitive verb

Examples of subway in a Sentence

I took the subway to midtown.

No one on the subway seemed to mind how crowded it was.

I've been on both the New York subway and the Underground in London.

Recent Examples on the Web

From being the first capital of the fledgling nation to building the city’s first subway to creating hip-hop, New York has sparked revolutions. —Andrew Kimball, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2025

That of Marilyn Monroe poised over a subway grate, her white dress billowing about her. —Vogue, 25 Jan. 2025

These artifacts are now showcased at subway stations, the outlet said. —Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2025

The design upstairs is much different, more elegant, the colors darker and richer, with plush red chairs and dark wallpaper in place of the clean white subway tiles. —Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 23 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing subway

• subway train

Kids Definition

subway

noun

sub·​way ˈsəb-ˌwā 

1

: an underground passage

2

: a usually electric underground railway