Subways run under the ground.
Source: tatoeba (277086)
Subways
Synonyms for "subways" (7 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (2)
Noun(2 words)
metro systempedestrian underpass
Strong matches (2)
Noun(2 words)
rail transit networkrapid transit system
Related words (3)
Noun(3 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: metro system, pedestrian underpass, rail transit network, rapid transit system, underground passage.
- Sentence evidence is available for subways, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from opengloss.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "subways".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "subways"
Keep "subways" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "subways" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "subways", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "subways" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
6 entriescivil infrastructurepublic transitrail transportationunderground infrastructureurban infrastructureurban transit
More specific
5 entriesbicycle underpasspedestrian underpasssubway carsubway linesubway station
Collocations
6 entriessubway carsubway linesubway mapsubway stationsubway systemsubway tunnel
Derivations
4 entriessubway carsubway ridersubway stationsubway system
Sample sentences
6 total sentences available.
Roads, bridges, subways, water supplies, oil and gas wells, power plants, sewage treatment plants, landfills—virtually all human infrastructure—is at risk from sea level rise.
Source: tatoeba (6683004)
COVID-19 has caused a bike boom in the city as thousands of Big Apple residents swap their cars and subways for two wheels.
Source: tatoeba (8794465)
Greg and I, both Filipinos, talk at the Lulu Island café this morning of the 20th of August of 2022. I tell him of my visit to the dried mango factory estate owned by my friend's relatives in Cebu, Philippines. There was a big house near the expanses of the dried mango factory. There was a games house. The auntie looked like an affable Chinese Hispanic. My friends and I ate mangoes every day. I tell Greg of my stay in Japan, where I frequently took the trains and subways. He mentions "bullet trains." I tell him that the PRC now has bullet trains. I tell him of Spanish-looking classmates with very long full names in my private school of La Salle Green Hills in Metro Manila. My classmate Julio lived in a big Spanish-style mansion with a garden driveway through the middle front. That look inspired my childhood dream that I told my mother about a "big house on a lot with a highway in the middle on an island." Oh, maybe, it was from James Bond.
Source: tatoeba (11072585)
Showing 4 of 6 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "subways"?
Closest matches include metro system, pedestrian underpass, rail transit network, rapid transit system, underground passage.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "subways"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.