Synonyms of two-waynext
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 communication …Jerrold 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 thing …Theodore H. White
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.
Laviolette, whose only full season outside the head coaching ranks in the past quarter-century came during Kopitar’s final campaign, lamented not being able to work with the two-way virtuoso. Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 11 June 2026 Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani hit his 13th homer of the season before leaving the game due to left knee inflammation and Los Angeles beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-6 on Thursday night. ABC News, 11 June 2026 Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani hit his 13th homer of the season before leaving the game due to left knee inflammation, and Los Angeles beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-6 on Thursday night. CBS News, 11 June 2026 Shohei Ohtani might not have been the best two-way player in this game. Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 11 June 2026 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

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Cite this Entry

“Two-way.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/two-way. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.

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

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