stairway
gb/stˈɛɹwˌeɪ/ us/stˈɛɹwˌeɪ/
B1
English
~ 9200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
set of steps between levels
A set of steps you use to go up or down between floors or levels.
Usage pattern:
to go up/down [the stairway]
Common mistake:
Learners often say *"I took the stairway"* when *"I took the stairs"* is more natural in everyday speech. Another common mistake is using the wrong preposition, for example *"He is in the stairway"* when *"He is on the stairway"* is clearer for someone standing or moving on the steps.
Synonyms
stairs (More general and more common in everyday speech; often used in the plural rather than as a single unit.)
|
staircase (Slightly more formal or architectural; often includes the railings and overall structure, not just the steps.)
|
stair (Usually refers to a single step in a stairway rather than the whole structure.)
Antonyms
elevator (Moves people between floors mechanically instead of requiring them to walk up or down steps.)
Collocations
narrow stairway
|steep stairway
|wooden stairway
|stone stairway
|spiral stairway
|emergency stairway
Themes
homes
|buildings
|daily life
|housing
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- A narrow stairway at the back of the house leads up to the attic.
- Please use the stairway instead of the elevator during a fire drill.
- The old stone stairway was worn smooth by years of use.
- They stopped halfway up the stairway to catch their breath.
- A sign on the door said, "Emergency stairway – keep clear."
Learner examples
- We walked up the stairway to the second floor.
- There is a small stairway behind the kitchen.
- The hotel has a wide stairway near the lobby.
- He sat on the stairway and tied his shoe.
- The lights in the stairway were very dim.
Grammar
Dictionary form
stairway
IPA
GB/stˈɛɹwˌeɪ/
US/stˈɛɹwˌeɪ/
Syllables & stress
stair - way (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (stair)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: stairway
- Plural: stairways
Word family
Forms
stairways
noun
Related words
Expressions
stairway to heaven
1/stˈɛɹwˌeɪ tə hˈɛvən/
idiom
informal
way to perfect joy or salvation
A way, often imagined or hoped for, that leads to a very happy, perfect, or holy life or state.
Examples
- For some people, winning the lottery looks like a stairway to heaven.
- The ad promises a stairway to heaven, but in reality the product changes very little.
- The book describes meditation as a kind of stairway to heaven for the tired mind.
stairway to nowhere
1/stˈɛɹwˌeɪ tə nˈoʊwˌɛɹ/
idiom
informal
useless structure or plan
A set of steps, project, or plan that goes on but does not lead to any real place, purpose, or result.
Examples
- Critics called the costly new bridge a stairway to nowhere because it connected to no major roads.
- The half-finished stadium became a stairway to nowhere after the funding was cut.
- Without clear goals, the training program felt like a stairway to nowhere.