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

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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

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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

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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

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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 Yet some companies are already using AI to cut costs, increase revenue, improve customer experience and solve problems that would have been extremely difficult to tackle in other ways. — Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 With the leading models becoming ever more powerful, their ability to act in malicious ways is turning into a major threat for corporations and governments, especially as the risk involves hacking into critical computer systems and infrastructure. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026 An InStyle editor shares 10 chic ways to style a headband in 2026. — Alyssa Rotunno, InStyle, 10 Aug. 2026 Instead, the laboratory is looking at ways to increase output through more efficient processing. — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 10 Aug. 2026 The way Vassilopoulos and her team have chosen not to define things like Alex’s gender identity feels very of the open-ended, label-resistant ways of the younger generations. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 9 Aug. 2026 But there are also natural ways to elevate it, including exercise. — Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 9 Aug. 2026 Many schools don’t devote nearly enough time to letting kids play, which is one of the key ways primary school-age children learn. — Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026 Without further ado, here's six ways to style loafers and mom-jeans through fall 2026 without letting go of all your favorite summer trends and hero pieces. — Michel Mejía, Glamour, 2 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
  • Drone footage shared by the city showed houses, vehicles and roads submerged in muddy floodwater.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • There are new protections to make roads safer around schools and school zones.
    — Ashley Portillo, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of roads
Noun
  • The Virgo Moon moves through your 6th House of Work and Wellness, making tasks, health habits, and schedules more noticeable.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Then there are other habits that help to improve cognitive health and overall health.
    — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of habits
Noun
  • However, dams severely disrupt aquatic ecosystems by blocking migratory paths to historic spawning grounds, fragmenting species populations, and trapping crucial nutrients.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 Aug. 2026
  • And Obregón’s done it while blazing new paths in construction, an industry where Hispanic women are rarely CEOs.
    — Mirtha Donastorg, AJC.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of paths
Noun
  • Using that information, the fitter identifies the head shape, hosel configuration and weighting that best complement the player's natural tendencies.
    — Jeff Goudy, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The zoological and mythographic tendencies of Caillois are by no means out of place here.
    — Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of tendencies
Noun
  • One of the alternative routes would reduce the project’s footprint in the Anza-Borrego Desert by about nine miles, and go through the community of Borrego Springs instead.
    — Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Gabriel’s routes to points are sensational, with eight goal involvements last season, plus earning defensive contribution points on 11 occasions and 30 bonus points.
    — Holly Shand, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of routes
Noun
  • Expanding on Iraola’s comments, there are methods to measure how different countries integrate individuals into groups.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
  • This involves studying the same question using methods affected by different potential sources of bias.
    — The Conversation US, Scientific American, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of methods
Noun
  • Bear straps are metal sheets that reinforce areas on planes like doorways and emergency exits.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The projection technology helps the team create rooms that relate naturally to one another, establish deliberate sightlines, align doorways with important architectural features, and support circulation that feels intuitive rather than forced.
    — Nia Bowers, USA Today, 30 July 2026
Definition of doorways
Noun
  • Hurzeler has good options in the middle too, with new signings Luka Vuskovic, Pascal Struijk and Michael Svoboda compensating for Jan Paul van Hecke’s exit to Tottenham.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The lush gardens and private office space provide plenty of scenic options for where to spend your alone time, while the covered patio is practically begging for a dinner party with the entire crew.
    — Kelsey Mulvey, Vogue, 14 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 14 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ways

Nglish: Translation of ways for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ways

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