# subway

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈsʌbˌweɪ/ · frequency rank #6,630

## Definitions
1. An underground railway, especially for mass transit of people in urban areas.
2. A train that runs on such an underground railway.
3. A rapid transit system, regardless of the elevation of its right of way; a metro system.
4. An underground walkway, tunnel for pedestrians (called pedestrian underpass in US).
5. An underground route for pipes, sewers, etc.
6. An underground route for creatures (e.g. bats).

## Etymology
From sub- + way.

## Easily confused with
- **sway** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/subway-vs-sway)
- **Sunday** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/subway-vs-sunday)
- **subtly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/subtly-vs-subway)
- **subpar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/subpar-vs-subway)
- **Segway** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/segway-vs-subway)

## Common misspellings (9)
`sbuway`, `ssubway`, `subawy`, `subbway`, `subwayy`, `subwway`, `subwya`, `suwbay`, `usbway`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/subway