road
gb/ɹˈoʊd/ us/ɹˈoʊd/
A1
English
~ 500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
A paved path for cars
A long, hard surface where cars and other vehicles travel.
Usage pattern:
[someone] drives on [a/the] road
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'road' with 'street'. Use 'road' for general vehicle paths, especially between places; 'street' is usually within towns or cities.
Synonyms
street (Usually refers to a road in a town or city, often with buildings along it.)
Antonyms
off-road (Refers to areas not on a prepared or paved surface for vehicles.)
Collocations
busy road
|main road
|country road
|road network
|road safety
Themes
transportation
|daily life
|infrastructure
|travel
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The road was closed due to flooding.
- We drove along a winding mountain road.
- The government is repairing the main road into the city.
- Cyclists should keep to the side of the road.
- This road connects the village to the nearest town.
Learner examples
- The road is very long.
- There is a tree next to the road.
- Cars are moving on the road.
- We walk along the road to school.
Noun
A2
entity
2
A route to a place
The way you go to get from one place to another.
Usage pattern:
[someone] takes [a/the] road to [place]
Synonyms
route (A general term for a path or course taken, not necessarily paved.)
Antonyms
detour (An alternative route taken to avoid something on the normal route.)
Collocations
take the road to
|on the road to
|the only road
Themes
travel
|navigation
|transportation
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We took the road through the forest to reach the lake.
- There is only one road into the valley.
- This is the fastest road to the airport.
- They live on the road between London and Oxford.
Learner examples
- We take this road to school.
- This is the road to my house.
- That road goes to the park.
Noun
B1
entity
3
A course toward a goal
The way or process to reach an aim or result.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is on the road to [goal/state]
Common mistake:
Learners may take figurative uses literally; context shows it's not about physical roads.
Synonyms
pathway (Often used figuratively to describe steps toward a goal.)
Antonyms
obstacle (Something that blocks progress toward a goal.)
Collocations
road to success
|road to recovery
|road ahead
Themes
metaphor
|life
|core_vocabulary
|education
|work
Examples
- She is on the road to becoming a doctor.
- The country is on the road to economic recovery.
- Hard work is the only road to success.
Learner examples
- He is on the road to being a teacher.
- They are on the road to health.
- This plan is the road to success.
Grammar
Dictionary form
road
IPA
GB/ɹˈoʊd/
US/ɹˈoʊd/
Syllables & stress
road (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (road)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: road
- Plural: road, roads
Word family
Expressions
middle of the road
1/mˈɪdəl əv ðə ɹˈoʊd/
idiom
Moderate viewpoint or style
Not extreme; in between two sides or styles.
Examples
- His political views are middle of the road.
- They play middle-of-the-road pop music that appeals to many people.
on the road
1/ˈɔn ðə ɹˈoʊd/
fixed phrase
Traveling away from home
Traveling from place to place, usually by car, bus, or truck.
Examples
- The band will be on the road for three months during their tour.
- He spends most of his job on the road visiting clients.
the high road
1/ðə hˈaɪ ɹˈoʊd/
idiom
Morally better choice
To act in a good and fair way, even if others do not.
Examples
- She decided to take the high road and not respond to his insults.
- In business, taking the high road can build long-term trust.
hit the road
2/hˈɪt ðə ɹˈoʊd/
idiom
informal
Leave and start traveling
To leave somewhere and begin going to another place.
Examples
- It's getting late—we should hit the road.
- They packed their bags and hit the road before sunrise.
hit the road
6/hˈɪt ðə ɹˈoʊd/
idiom
informal
Start traveling or leave
To start going somewhere or leave a place.
Examples
- It's getting late; we should hit the road.
- After breakfast, they hit the road toward the mountains.
road trip
1/ɹˈoʊd tɹˈɪp/
fixed phrase
Leisure trip by car
A long trip you take in a car for fun.
Examples
- They planned a summer road trip across Europe.
- We’re planning a road trip along the coast this summer.
- Our college friends went on a two-week road trip through the US.
- Their road trip took them through five states.