paths

noun

plural of path
1
as in routes
the direction along which something or someone moves try to stay out of the path of the golf balls while playing I tripped over a rock directly in my path

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in trails
a rough course or way formed by or as if by repeated footsteps a path worn through the library lawn by too many people walking over it

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in roads
an established course for traveling from one place to another the path along which ancient traders traveled from Europe to China was known as the Silk Road

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of paths Or stay amid the woods at Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa, where amenities and activities include yard games, bike paths, archery, and s’mores as well as special seasonal fun. — Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026 In early April, a convoy of 299 Iraqi fuel tankers crossed into Syria on its way to the Mediterranean port of Baniyas, one of the few remaining paths to international markets amid the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. — Jesse Marks, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026 My team’s recent research on California blackworms suggests that, sometimes, such narrower paths are faster. — K. R. Prathyusha, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026 In complementary work, the POWERlab developed multi-channel GaN devices that spread current across several conduction paths, lowering resistance and reducing overheating. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026 Competitors also faced an obstacle course in which drivers made their way down paths lined with cones and bright yellow, plastic ducks. — Alice Barlow, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026 Village parks offer walking paths, gardens, sports courts, and picnic areas. — Brendel Clark, Freep.com, 29 Aug. 2026 This work will add bicycle lanes and paths, improve drainage, upgrade traffic signals, sidewalk curbs and signs and resurface existing roadway. — Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026 Crow-Armstrong has been crafty on the base paths, recording 31 steals on 38 attempts. — Data Skrive, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paths
  1. routes
  2. trails
  3. roads
  4. ways
  5. pathways
  6. trajectories
  7. footpaths
Noun
  • That can mean choosing a better location for construction, alternate routes, backup power, improved early warning and financial tools such as insurance to speed recovery, Narasimhan said.
    — Victoria Milko, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Major transit routes through the country closed entirely as the state fragmented into competing zones of control.
    — Jesse Marks, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of routes
Noun
  • There’s no reputable research showing that dry cornstarch reliably disrupts ant pheromone trails in real-world garden conditions.
    — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The property’s concierges, called Pathfinders, can help guests narrow down the best places to see fall foliage, from scenic drives through Grand Tetons to hiking trails lined with golden aspens.
    — Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of trails
Noun
  • Nepal’s Department of Roads says at least 19 motorable bridges and around 40 kilometers of roads have also been damaged or washed away.
    — Milad Haghani, Scientific American, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Rescue efforts, still in their first stages, have been hampered by the fact that the floodwaters have washed away entire roads.
    — Diaa Hadid, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of roads
Noun
  • Although not quite as polished on the racial politics front, Lanterns’s third episode is no less intriguing, as an hour of television dedicated not only to answering pressing questions but fleshing out its lead character in disturbing ways.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
  • OpenAI's investigation, released this week, went considerably further, describing agents that found unauthorized ways to communicate, collaborate and delegate work while attempting to accomplish their objectives.
    — Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of ways
Noun
  • In the battery, the coated ceramic particles interact with the surrounding polymer chains and create interconnected pathways that allow lithium ions to travel more efficiently.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026
  • For example, if someone is trying to relearn how to walk, practicing every day can help build those pathways.
    — Connie Etermadi, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of pathways
Noun
  • That would, in turn, enable them to constantly search for drones, low-flying warplanes, and even cruise missiles flying in unpredictable trajectories.
    — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • With the married couple of Robert and Camille Sims careening off onto very different moral trajectories, Camille must confront troubling truths as her conscience plummets into the pits of Hades, while Robert is on a profound journey of salvation.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of trajectories
Noun
  • According to the National Park Service, the footpaths through the forested ridgetops of Pennsylvania are among the most popular.
    — Idra Novey, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026
  • Eschewing fences and pavement in favor of natural footpaths lined with brambles and shrubs, these slender pathways provide epic sea views while leaving the ancestral homes of other animals intact.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
Definition of footpaths

Phrases Containing paths

Browse Nearby Words

pathos
paths
pathway
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Paths.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paths. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All