Meaning & use
en route
Last updated
UK/ɒn ˈruːt/
US/ɑːn ˈruːt/
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
During the trip to a place, before arriving.
Grammar: Used after a verb or at the start of a sentence, usually with to: en route to Rome.
Patterns
- en route to somewhere
- en route from somewhere
We stopped for lunch en route to the coast.
The package is en route and should arrive Tuesday.
Their flight was delayed while en route from Paris.
Common combinations
- en route to
- She was en route to a meeting when the call came.
- en route home
- We stopped at a market en route home.
- be en route
- The ambulance is en route.
- stop en route
- They stopped en route to rest.
- en route to victory
- The team scored twice en route to victory.
Synonyms and how they differ
- on the way
- On the way is the plain everyday phrase, whereas en route sounds a little more formal or businesslike.
- in transit
- In transit describes goods or people being moved, and is common in shipping.
- midway
- Midway means halfway, while en route covers any point during the trip.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: en route or in route?
en route vs in route
In route is a common error; the correct phrase is en route.
Practice
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?
Choose one answer.
En route to is the fixed pattern. The other options change the phrase or break the grammar.
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