1
: moving or allowing movement in either direction
a two-way bridge
2
a
: involving or allowing an exchange between two individuals or groups
there must be good two-way communicationJerrold Orne
especially : designed for both sending and receiving messages
two-way radio
b
: involving mutual responsibility or reciprocal relationships
political alliance is a two-way thingT. H. White †1986
3
a
: involving two participants
a two-way race
b
sports : playing on both the offensive and defensive squads of a team (as in American football)
Frost, a throwback to the era of two-way players, is the Cardinal's starting free safety and backup quarterback.The New York Times
also : playing both offense and defense well
a basketball forward who's a talented two-way player
4
: usable in either of two manners
a two-way lamp
5
: being a cock or valve that will connect a pipe or channel with either of two others

Examples of two-way in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Lakers were already down several bodies in their frontcourt, with Christian Wood (offseason left knee surgery) and Jarred Vanderbilt (offseason feet surgery) sidelined, leaving two-way center Christian Koloko as the only available big man behind Davis. Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 13 Nov. 2024 This interaction with the festive content is a two-way street: as much as retailers are orchestrating it, consumers are feeding it with enthusiasm. Kate Hardcastle, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 Kobe Johnson, who took his spot in the starting lineup, was a two-way force with his scoring, passing and active defense. Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024 With the prevalence of two-way players, the roster will likely be far less than 26, the number typically suited up for an MLB game. David K. Li, NBC News, 2 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for two-way 

Word History

First Known Use

1571, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of two-way was in 1571

Dictionary Entries Near two-way

Cite this Entry

“Two-way.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/two-way. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

two-way

adjective
1
: moving or acting or allowing movement or action in either direction
two-way traffic
a two-way street
2
a
: involving two persons or groups
communication is a two-way process
b
: made to send and receive messages
a two-way radio

More from Merriam-Webster on two-way

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!