Interstate

//ˈɪntɚˌsteɪt// adj, adv, noun

adj, adv, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A freeway that is part of the Interstate Highway System. US

    "The speed-limit increase would not apply to Delaware, where the interstates are all near populated areas."

  2. 2
    one of the system of highways linking major cities in the 48 contiguous states of the United States wordnet
Adjective
  1. 1
    Of, or relating to two or more states. Australia, US, not-comparable

    "interstate commerce"

Adjective
  1. 1
    involving and relating to the mutual relations of states especially of the United States wordnet
Adverb
  1. 1
    Crossing states (usually provincial state, but also e.g. multinational sense). Australia, US, not-comparable

    "The truck driver drove interstate to unload."

Synonyms

All synonyms
highwayinterstate highwayinterstate highwayparkway

Example

More examples

"The other day I ran out of gas in the middle of a busy Interstate."

Etymology

From inter- + state, originally as an adjective only; the noun is by (ellipsis) from interstate highway. The noun also serves adjectivally as a (noun adjunct) in such collocations as interstate construction and interstate rest stops.

Related phrases

interstate compact

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.