What does "railway" mean?
A transport system using rails used to move passengers or goods.
Railway
/ˈɹeɪlˌweɪ/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A transport system using rails used to move passengers or goods.
- Grammar: railway is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: railroad, branch, cable railway, cog railway.
- Useful contrasts: arline, highway, road.
- Usage evidence: Please tell me which railway line to use from the airport to downtown.
How to use "railway"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "railway" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "railway" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "railway" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "railway" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "railway" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "railroad" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "railway", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A transport system using rails used to move passengers or goods. Commonwealth, Ireland, UK
"That the young Mr. Churchills liked—but they did not like him coming round of an evening and drinking weak whisky-and-water while he held forth on railway debentures and corporation loans. Mr. Barrett, however, by fawning and flattery, seemed to be able to make not only Mrs. Churchill but everyone else do what he desired."
- 2 a line of track providing a runway for wheels wordnet
- 3 A track, consisting of parallel rails, over which wheeled vehicles such as trains may travel. Commonwealth, Ireland, Philippines, UK
"His interest in railways is not the quality that marks Pearson out. Everyone was interested in railways. Over a thousand miles of them opened between 1837 and 1845, most of what would become the national network. [...] You needed an Act of Parliament to build a railway; but that wasn't very hard to obtain if you could give the appearance of adequately funded competence."
- 4 line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Please tell me which railway line to use from the airport to downtown."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "railway"?
Common synonyms include: railroad, branch, cable railway, cog railway, el, electric railway.
How do you use "railway" in a sentence?
Please tell me which railway line to use from the airport to downtown.
How do you pronounce "railway"?
Pronounced /ˈɹeɪlˌweɪ/.
Etymology
From rail + way.