route
gb/ɹˈaʊt/ us/ɹˈaʊt/
A2
English
~ 1300
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
A path or course to travel
The way you go from one place to another.
Usage pattern:
[someone] takes/follows [a route] to [a place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'route' with 'root' because they sound similar in some accents, but they have different meanings.
Synonyms
path (More general and can be informal; may refer to physical or metaphorical ways.)
|
course (Often used for ships, aircraft, or plans, slightly more formal.)
Antonyms
destination (Refers to the end point rather than the way taken.)
Collocations
bus route
|scenic route
|take a route
|flight route
|delivery route
Themes
travel
|transportation
|daily life
Examples
- The bus follows the same route every day.
- We took the scenic route along the coast.
- This is the fastest route to the airport.
- The hikers planned their route carefully before starting.
- Our delivery route covers the entire city.
Learner examples
- This is the best route to school.
- The bus takes this route every day.
- We walked a different route home.
- He knows a short route to the park.
Verb
B1
action
2
To send along a path
To send something or someone on a certain way to a place.
Usage pattern:
to route [something] through/via [a place]
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'route' (verb) with 'root' (verb), which means to make something take hold in soil.
Synonyms
direct (General term; can refer to giving instructions as well as guiding physically.)
|
channel (Often used for sending information or resources through specific means.)
Antonyms
misdirect (To send something to the wrong place or in the wrong direction.)
Collocations
route traffic
|route calls
|route shipments
|route emails
Themes
communication
|business
|transportation
|travel
Examples
- The company will route all calls through the main office.
- Please route your request via the customer service department.
- They routed the shipment through Germany to avoid delays.
- All internet traffic is routed through a secure server.
Learner examples
- Please route the letter to my home address.
- The manager will route all calls to me today.
- We will route the bus through the city center.
Noun
technical
B2
entity
3
Path for data in a network
In computers, the way information goes from one place to another on a network.
Synonyms
pathway (Informal technical term for data transfer routes.)
|
connection (More general and less precise; refers to link between devices.)
Antonyms
disconnection (The absence of a connection or path for data transfer.)
Collocations
IP route
|network route
|route table
Themes
technology
|communication
Examples
- The router determines the best route for data packets.
- Network administrators updated the route tables.
- If a route is down, traffic will be sent another way.
Learner examples
- The computer finds the best route for data.
- The network uses a new route now.
- The router changes the route when there is a problem.
Grammar
Dictionary form
route
IPA
GB/ɹˈaʊt/
US/ɹˈaʊt/
Syllables & stress
route (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (route)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: route
- Plural: routes
Verb
- Base: route
- 3rd Person Singular: routes
- Present Participle: routing
- Past: routed
Word family
Forms
routes
noun
routing
verb
routed
verb
Related words
router
noun B1
reroute
verb
Expressions
bus route
1/bˈʌs ɹˈaʊt/
fixed phrase
Planned path of a bus line
The way that a bus goes, which is usually the same every day.
Examples
- This bus route goes through downtown.
- They added a new bus route for commuters.
escape route
2/ɪskˈeɪp ɹˈaʊt/
fixed phrase
A way out in an emergency
A way to leave a place quickly if there is danger.
Examples
- Make sure you know the escape route before starting work in the building.
- The fire drill showed us the escape routes.
flight route
3/flˈaɪt ɹˈaʊt/
fixed phrase
Planned airplane path between airports
The way that an airplane goes from one airport to another.
Examples
- The flight route passes over Greenland.
- They changed the flight route due to bad weather.
trade route
4/tɹˈeɪd ɹˈaʊt/
fixed phrase
A regular path for goods trade
A way that people use often to move goods between places for business.
Examples
- Ancient trade routes connected Asia and Europe.
- The Silk Road was an important trade route.
scenic route
1/sˈinɪk ɹˈaʊt/
fixed phrase
road with especially pretty views
A road or way that is not the fastest but is chosen because the views along it are very beautiful.
Examples
- We took the scenic route along the river.
- We took the scenic route along the coast instead of the busy highway.
- Sometimes it's worth taking the scenic route just to enjoy the view.
- Drivers who have time often choose the scenic route through the mountains.
- The map marks several scenic routes popular with tourists.