beltway

noun

belt·​way ˈbelt-ˌwā How to pronounce beltway (audio)
often attributive
1
: a highway skirting an urban area
2
capitalized : the political and social world of Washington, D.C., viewed especially as insular and exclusive
understanding better than Beltway insiders what really interests votersL. I. Barrett

Examples of beltway in a Sentence

Her influence extends beyond the Beltway.
Recent Examples on the Web The Nottingham resident’s vehicle had entered the beltway near Reisterstown Road, police said. Dan Belson, Baltimore Sun, 1 Aug. 2024 It was once envisioned as part of a beltway loop around Hartford, linking Farmington on the western end and Rocky Hill on the east. Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 29 Feb. 2024 Troopers responded at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday to the crash on the beltway’s inner loop near Interstate 83 in Baltimore County, where investigators believe a 2023 GMC Savana operated by Ward changed lanes and crashed into the rear of a 1989 Ford tow truck. Dan Belson, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2024 The Francis Scott Key Bridge was part of Interstate 695, which is the beltway bypass around Baltimore. The Editors, National Review, 3 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for beltway 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'beltway.' 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

1950, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of beltway was in 1950

Dictionary Entries Near beltway

Cite this Entry

“Beltway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beltway. Accessed 12 Sep. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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