way 1 of 2

1
2
3
4
5
as in room
an extent or area available for or used up by some activity or thing made way for them to pass

Synonyms & Similar Words

6
as in route
the direction along which something or someone moves go the same way that the school bus does

Synonyms & Similar Words

7
8
as in doorway
the opening through which one can enter or leave a structure we came in the back way

Synonyms & Similar Words

9
10

way

2 of 2

adverb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word way different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of way are fashion, manner, method, mode, and system. While all these words mean "the means taken or procedure followed in achieving an end," way is very general and may be used for any of the preceding words.

has her own way of doing things

In what contexts can fashion take the place of way?

Although the words fashion and way have much in common, fashion may suggest a peculiar or characteristic way of doing something.

rushing about in his typical fashion

How are the words manner and mode related as synonyms of way?

Manner is close to mode but may imply a procedure or method that is individual or distinctive.

an odd manner of conducting

When would method be a good substitute for way?

The synonyms method and way are sometimes interchangeable, but method implies an orderly logical arrangement usually in steps.

effective teaching methods

Where would mode be a reasonable alternative to way?

The words mode and way are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mode implies an order or course followed by custom, tradition, or personal preference.

the preferred mode of transportation

When might system be a better fit than way?

In some situations, the words system and way are roughly equivalent. However, system suggests a fully developed or carefully formulated method often emphasizing rational orderliness.

a filing system

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of way
Noun
Oh, Hi! is a romantic comedy about contemporary dating, but also the way expectations impact our decision-making. Barry Levitt, Time, 25 July 2025 Learn the right way to keep dust away with these professional tips for cleaning your ceiling fan. Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 25 July 2025
Adverb
Honestly, very different from college, probably way different than what the NBA is going to be like. Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 11 July 2025 Phil Blair, Manpower NO: These changes were way overdue. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for way
Recent Examples of Synonyms for way
Noun
  • Strengthening infrastructure – Communities need to prioritize schools, hospitals, roads, bridges, dams, water supply, sewer, sanitation, power, cellular, internet service, etc.
    Louis Gritzo, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • Torrential rains caused travel delays throughout the city, flooding subways and roads and delaying flights at JFK, Laguardia and Newark airports.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • The United States has tried repeatedly to wean itself off immigrant employment, but cheap labor is a tough habit to kick.
    Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 26 July 2025
  • This formula/habit/trend does not typically occur across the pond, so shortening 'Edgware Road' to 'Edgware,' does pose an issue.
    Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
Noun
  • Never has the path from visionary idea to household brand been more accessible.
    Christopher Yang, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
  • But what made this fire so much more dangerous was not its proximity but the fuel in its path.
    Faith Barton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 July 2025
Noun
  • Because many young parents grew up at a time when diseases like measles were not common, there can be a tendency to not recognize their seriousness.
    Andrew Montequin, jsonline.com, 22 July 2025
  • According to this report, such a tendency creates a false sense of immediacy, which can have a negative impact of real social relationships.
    Eric Wood, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
Noun
  • The trio of animals moved like molasses around the room, steadily scaling rocks and different obstacles to eat up every last shred of lettuce.
    Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 23 July 2025
  • Wells’s great mind inhabited a small set of rooms in the six-story Tuckerman Building on Washington Square.
    Henry Wiencek July 22, Literary Hub, 22 July 2025
Noun
  • Some compare the terraced ruins to Machu Picchu, but with only a few dozen visitors reaching this architectural marvel every day via trekking routes loving cared for and protected by indigenous communities, the experience of a visit couldn't be further from that at the overrun city of the Incas.
    Carley Rojas Ávila, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
  • Hundreds of species, from as far as South America, commonly stop in Kentucky to find food and rest their wings after traveling for miles along their aerial route.
    Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 24 July 2025
Noun
  • Cora certainly understands this process as the deadline approaches and what Boston is capable of if chief baseball officer Craig Breslow can add reinforcements.
    Tim Crowley, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 July 2025
  • The best measurement isn't necessarily the most complex, but rather the approach that most faithfully represents the marketing dynamics marketers already know to be true.
    Cody Greco, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Noun
  • Young versions of the rockers graced the poster, hung in the doorway of a red hallway.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 23 July 2025
  • At that point, the co-responder was at the doorway of the apartment, the lawsuit said.
    Nathan Pilling July 19, Kansas City Star, 19 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Way.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/way. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on 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!