un·der·way
ˌən-dər-ˈwā 
: occurring, performed, or used while traveling or in motion
underway replenishment of fuel
variants
or less commonly under way
1
: in motion : not at anchor or aground
The ship was underway at dawn.
2
: into motion from a standstill
The train should be underway again soon.
3
: in progress : happening now
Preparations for the celebration are already underway.
A search is underway.
The season got underway with a bang.
Examples of underway in a Sentence
Adverb
construction of the new shopping mall is under way
Recent Examples on the Web
Aaron Segal, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2026
An intense search-and-rescue effort is underway for the second crew member of an F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet that crashed in Iran amid escalating tension in the Middle East.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Attention is turning to the new terror chief seen as an extremist pulling strings, Vahidi — a longtime Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander whose reemergence highlights a broader shift underway inside Iran’s leadership.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underway
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Adjective
Looking ahead Missouri’s offseason is already underway, with roster turnover shaping next year’s outlook.
—Aaron Segal, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2026
An intense search-and-rescue effort is underway for the second crew member of an F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet that crashed in Iran amid escalating tension in the Middle East.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
Adverb
As part of the agreement, Modelo will also become an Official Partner of Inter Miami CF and a Founding Partner of Miami Freedom Park, a sports and entertainment development underway and anchored by the 26,700-seat Nu Stadium that is set to open on April 4.
—Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Attention is turning to the new terror chief seen as an extremist pulling strings, Vahidi — a longtime Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander whose reemergence highlights a broader shift underway inside Iran’s leadership.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underway
Cite this Entry
“Underway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underway. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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