thoroughfare

noun

thor·​ough·​fare ˈthər-ə-ˌfer How to pronounce thoroughfare (audio)
ˈthə-rə-
1
: a way or place for passage: such as
a
: a street open at both ends
b
: a main road
2
b
: the conditions necessary for passing through

Examples of thoroughfare in a Sentence

one of the city's main thoroughfares
Recent Examples on the Web Capitol Drive is also Milwaukee's most dangerous thoroughfare, with a city report released last August placing it on the top of the list of most risky street for for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. Journal Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2024 It was used by ancient peoples to connect their highly developed, fortified towns, and later became a major thoroughfare for tens of thousands of pioneering settlers and traders exploring new lands south and west in early America, connecting present day Middle Tennessee to Natchez, Mississippi. Bill Frist, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024 As our state has grown, what used to be rural roads have become major thoroughfares. Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Feb. 2024 Exceptions include when attending indoor athletic events, taking public transportation, or traversing public thoroughfare spaces such as airports, hotel lobbies, and elevators. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 8 Feb. 2024 For centuries, it was known only as a sliver of the Grand Trunk Road, Asia’s longest and oldest thoroughfare, linking traders in Central Asia to the Indian subcontinent. Zia Ur-Rehman Saiyna Bashir, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2024 Ball Arena, where the Nuggets play, sits just off one of the city’s main thoroughfares, a short walk from downtown. Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024 Today, the site at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip intersects with a major thoroughfare named for the Tropicana. Rio Yamat, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2024 The plan would create a pedestrian thoroughfare down the middle of the street, widening the sidewalks to provide more space for seating and making the street level with them to provide easier access for wheelchairs and strollers. Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 25 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thoroughfare.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of thoroughfare was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near thoroughfare

Cite this Entry

“Thoroughfare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thoroughfare. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

thoroughfare

noun
thor·​ough·​fare ˈthər-ə-ˌfa(ə)r How to pronounce thoroughfare (audio)
ˈthə-rə-,
-ˌfe(ə)r
1
: a street or road open at both ends
2
: a main road

More from Merriam-Webster on thoroughfare

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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