right-of-way
noun
plural rights-of-way also right-of-ways
1
: a legal right of passage over another person's ground
2
a
: the area over which a right-of-way exists
b
: the strip of land over which is built a public road
c
: the land occupied by a railroad especially for its main line
d
: the land used by a public utility (as for a transmission line)
3
a
: a precedence in passing accorded to one vehicle over another by custom, decision, or statute
b
: the right of traffic to take precedence
c
: the right to take precedence over others
gave the bill the right-of-way in the Senate
Examples of right-of-way in a Sentence
the bill for emergency aid was immediately granted right-of-way
Recent Examples on the Web
That negotiation took 4½ years, and extended to small cell technology, an effort by telecoms like Verizon and CenturyLink to deploy poles in the public right-of-way to boost cellular phone signals to 5G speeds without compensating cities financially.
—
Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2025
Add to that operation and maintenance costs and right-of-way usage fees that must be paid to Brightline and the FEC.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2025
The organizers provided a map showing where to stand to remain safe and in the public right-of-way.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
The victim had the right-of-way, and Pena blasted through a steady red light, prosecutors say.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for right-of-way
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Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2025
Add to that operation and maintenance costs and right-of-way usage fees that must be paid to Brightline and the FEC.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2025
The organizers provided a map showing where to stand to remain safe and in the public right-of-way.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
The victim had the right-of-way, and Pena blasted through a steady red light, prosecutors say.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for right-of-way
Cite this Entry
“Right-of-way.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/right-of-way. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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