public transit

noun

variants US public transit or British public transport
: mass transit
… public transit remains the smartest way to navigate hectic downtowns.—John Rosenthal
… jobs restoring our water sewage systems, our highways and bridges, our public transit system and our crumbling schools, ports and public buildings.—Ralph Nader

Examples of public transit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The board shakeup is just one part of the broad governance reforms mandated by the state’s transit funding legislation, which consolidates power in a central governing authority and raises more than $1 billion for public transit annually. — Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 The sales tax measure was placed on the ballot earlier this year to help stave off cuts to the region’s struggling public transit agencies that have yet to see ridership levels return to pre-pandemic levels. — Grace Hase, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026 FASTLinkDTLA is non-profit organization focused on reducing traffic in Los Angeles County by encouraging public transit, walking, biking, carpooling, on-demand transit, walking and other methods of transportation. — Staff Report, Daily News, 27 Aug. 2026 Students get free public transit rides with their OMNY cards, but express buses are excluded. — Adi Guajardo, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for public transit

Word History

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of public transit was in 1847

Rhymes for public transit

See All Rhymes for public transit

Browse Nearby Words

public time
public transit
public transportation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Public transit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20transit. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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