railroad

1 of 2

noun

rail·​road ˈrāl-ˌrōd How to pronounce railroad (audio)
ˈrel-;
ˈre-ˌrōd How to pronounce railroad (audio)
: a permanent road having a line of rails fixed to ties and laid on a roadbed and providing a track for cars or equipment drawn by locomotives or propelled by self-contained motors
also : such a road and its assets constituting a single property

railroad

2 of 2

verb

railroaded; railroading; railroads

transitive verb

1
a
: to convict with undue haste and by means of false charges or insufficient evidence
b
: to push through hastily or without due consideration
2
: to transport by railroad

intransitive verb

: to work for a railroad company
railroader noun

Examples of railroad in a Sentence

Noun that railroad hasn't been used for passenger trains for decades Verb a controversial law that is being railroaded through Congress a bill that was railroaded into law They claim she was railroaded.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
With multiple major railroad companies at threat of a industry-wide strike, the stakes for an agreement were extremely high; $2 billion could’ve been lost every day of a strike. Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 8 June 2024 Just a short drive from the family’s home is another warehouse complex, a railroad and the 10 Freeway. Rebecca Plevin, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2024
Verb
No doubt Trump’s fans, sucking up the distortions fed to the faithful, will whine to high heaven about how their hero was railroaded. Letters To The Editor, Orange County Register, 13 June 2024 The Oklahoma City Council removed height restrictions on the parcel of land next to railroad tracks in the city's downtown, helping to clear the way for the Legends Tower. Bill Chappell, NPR, 8 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for railroad 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'railroad.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1757, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1829, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of railroad was in 1757

Dictionary Entries Near railroad

Cite this Entry

“Railroad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/railroad. Accessed 18 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

railroad

1 of 2 noun
rail·​road ˈrā(ə)l-ˌrōd How to pronounce railroad (audio)
1
: a permanent road that has parallel steel rails which make a track for cars
2
: a railroad together with the lands, buildings, locomotives, cars, and other equipment that belong to it

railroad

2 of 2 verb
1
a
: to send by railroad
b
: to work on a railroad
2
a
: to push (as a bill) through a legislature in a rush
b
: to convict and send to prison without much evidence or by means of false charges
railroader noun

More from Merriam-Webster on railroad

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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