ways

noun

Definition of waysnext
plural of way
1
as in roads
a passage cleared for public vehicular travel the town honored the local sports hero by naming after him a short way connecting two shopping centers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in habits
a usual manner of behaving or doing she's set in her ways and is not about to change

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in paths
an established course for traveling from one place to another took the regular way to work

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in tendencies
an established pattern of behavior that's just his way, so pay him no mind

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in routes
the direction along which something or someone moves go the same way that the school bus does

Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in methods
the means or procedure for doing something figured out the best way to accomplish the task

Synonyms & Similar Words
7
as in doorways
the opening through which one can enter or leave a structure we came in the back way

Synonyms & Similar Words
8
as in options
the power, right, or opportunity to choose have it your way

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in distances
the space or amount of space between two points, lines, surfaces, or objects it's just a little way down the 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 ways 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 Waste plastic could provide another source of hydrocarbons for fuel production, particularly as governments and industry look for ways to deal with both plastic waste and aviation emissions. — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026 In recent years, however, a younger generation of entrepreneurs has broadened the scope, fusing Arabic culture and social media culture in fun, modern ways. — Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 30 Aug. 2026 While the production of mucilage is a natural property of cooked okra, there are ways to downplay its effects and to make the slimy texture less prominent. — Taylor Tobin, Southern Living, 30 Aug. 2026 Luckily, there are ways to safely remove a raccoon from your home and keep them away from your yard without harming yourself or the animal. — Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 30 Aug. 2026 The tiny and quick drones are being deployed in an increasing number of school districts – part of a growing school security industry as parents and schools find new ways to protect students and staff from carnage. — Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026 The College-in-3 Exchange was born, and dozens of higher education institutions joined the network to look for ways to help students get degrees faster. — ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ways
  1. roads
  2. habits
  3. paths
  4. tendencies
  5. routes
  6. methods
  7. doorways
  8. options
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
  • One of the newest members of the billionaire club, Scale AI cofounder Lucy Guo, is a more recent example of someone whose spending habits have remained relatively modest as her fortune has soared.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Tracks stool consistency, hydration, urinary health and bathroom habits.
    — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of habits
Noun
  • 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
Definition of paths
Noun
  • This sense of threat can trigger authoritarian tendencies, including support for taking away civil liberties like the ability to give public speeches or run for political office from disliked others.
    — Paul Djupe, The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The New York Young Republicans Club’s Nazi tendencies are well known.
    — Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of tendencies
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
  • This challenging job, involving inserting flexible plugs into moving targets, was previously unautomatable by traditional methods.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Some of these methods may vary based on your conversation with your neighbor and local laws.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of methods
Noun
  • Excess doorways were removed and replaced with new casework—the removal of some doorways allowed some spaces to be re-imagined, creating reading nooks or quiet collaboration spaces.
    — Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Have these items at the doorways for quick visits into the house.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of doorways
Noun
  • The deadline has passed for players to be eligible for the postseason if waived by another team, so Las Vegas has to look outside the WNBA for options.
    — Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • And while von Furstenberg gravitated to something more minimalist and streamlined for her look, there’s plenty of options out there for the more flamboyant sun-seekers, too.
    — Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of options

Phrases Containing ways

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way-out
ways
way station
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Cite this Entry

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

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ways

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