a divided highway

Meaning

1. 1nouncountableAmerican

   A road with separate lanes for traffic moving in opposite directions, usually separated by a median or barrier.

   Grammar: Countable; used with 'a' or 'the'. Often appears in driving directions and road signs.

   Patterns

   • on a divided highway
   • a divided highway with a median
   • a divided highway between places

   The divided highway has a grassy median to prevent head-on collisions.

   We drove on a divided highway for most of the trip.

   Exit signs on a divided highway are usually placed on the right.

Word forms

Common combinations

drive on a divided highway

You must stay in the right lane when driving on a divided highway.

divided highway with a median

The divided highway with a median is safer than a two-way road.

enter a divided highway

When you enter a divided highway, check for oncoming traffic.

divided highway signs

Divided highway signs warn drivers that the road will split.

Synonyms and how they differ

dual carriageway

This is the British term for the same type of road; use it in British English contexts.

expressway

An expressway is a high-speed road, often but not always divided; it may have limited access.

Opposites

Word family

divide verb

To separate into parts, as in dividing traffic lanes.

division noun

The act of separating something into parts.

Commonly confused: a divided highway or highway?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “a divided highway”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words