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
There is no better way to invest in the theme than Vernova due to robust demand for its gas turbines, grid equipment and future opportunities in nuclear, the analysts told clients in a note. Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2025 Toasty makeup is the perfect way to transition from summer to fall 2025. María Munsuri, Glamour, 21 Sep. 2025
Adverb
And this smells almost identical, except somehow way more elegant. Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 12 Sep. 2025 Claudia Choose vulnerability over performative coolness, because possible embarrassment is way more powerful than polished detachment. Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for way
Recent Examples of Synonyms for way
Noun
  • The project aims to remove more than 1 million heavy goods vehicles from roads in the western Alps between France and Italy.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Most of them are going to come down to track position, pit strategy, executing on pit road.
    Lydia Mee, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Tom also scored three times the threshold for hospitalization based on his recent drinking habits.
    ProPublica, ProPublica, 22 Sep. 2025
  • Real security comes from your habits, not your hardware.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Since that meeting, during which allies expressed optimism of a path forward on security guarantees, no progress has materialized.
    David Brennan, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The advance gives sodium batteries a clearer path to compete with lithium.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • While bad tendencies showed up in each loss enough good things seemed to appear in the wins.
    Larry Fleisher, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • That approach stems from a tendency to question the foundations upon which conventional wisdom is built.
    Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The most notorious, in 1978, saw the late queen hide behind a bush in the gardens of Buckingham Palace to avoid Nicolae Ceaușescu, having already removed anything that the Romanian dictator could steal from his room following a warning from Giscard d'Estaing, the then French president.
    Ian King, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
  • In follow-up comments, the original poster noted that their roommate had already claimed the larger room.
    Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Cocaine production in Colombia has soared as the government takes a hands-off approach to coca cultivation, fueling a wave of violence across Latin America as cartels vie for control of trafficking routes.
    semafor.com, semafor.com, 19 Sep. 2025
  • The easy route takes visitors along a disused rail line for a gentle jaunt in one of the Pacific Northwest's loveliest regions.
    Stacey Lastoe, Travel + Leisure, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This comprehensive approach transforms AI from a mere tool into a thinking companion for life’s biggest questions.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
  • The pair referred to, Vanderbilt University’s Daniel Diermeier and Washington University’s Andrew Martin, have taken a very different approach than the maximalist resistance stance of many elite university leaders.
    David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Queen Elizabeth gestures to Princess Anne who was entering the doorway.
    StyleCaster Editors, StyleCaster, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Second, the Cygnus spacecraft has a wider hatch, or doorway, connecting it with the space station.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Way.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/way. Accessed 22 Sep. 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!