Word
freeway
A freeway is a major multi-lane highway designed for high-speed traffic, typically without tolls or intersections at ground level.
Meanings
A major divided highway designed for high-speed traffic with no at-grade intersections, traffic lights, or tolls, allowing for free-flowing movement of vehicles.
Definition
A freeway is a wide road with multiple lanes in each direction, specifically built for fast travel, often connecting cities or navigating large urban areas. It's characterized by controlled access points (on-ramps and off-ramps) and the absence of traffic lights or cross-streets, allowing vehicles to maintain high speeds. In some regions, like North America, the term also implies that there are no tolls to use the road.
Examples
- We took the freeway out of the city to avoid all the local traffic.
- The morning commute on the freeway is always very busy with thousands of cars.
- A new freeway extension will help reduce travel time for many commuters.
- She prefers driving on the smaller roads, but the freeway is much faster for long trips.
- They got lost trying to find the correct exit off the busy freeway.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes use 'freeway' interchangeably with 'highway' or 'motorway,' but 'freeway' specifically refers to a high-speed, limited-access road without tolls, which is more common in North American English.
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