beltway

[ belt-wey ]

noun

1. Also called belt highway. a highway around the perimeter of an urban area.
2. the Beltway, the Washington, D.C., area within the highway that encircles it.

beltway

/ ˈbɛltˌweɪ /

noun

1. the usual US name for a ring road
2. usually with capital
   1. the people and institutions located in the area bounded by the Washington Beltway, taken to be politically and socially out of touch with the rest of America and much given to political intrigue
   2. ( as modifier )

      Beltway Cassandras

Word History and Origins

Origin of beltway¹

First recorded in 1950–55; belt + way ¹

Example Sentences

As vice president they knew she would run when Biden's term was over and their crusade to degrade her eventually seeped into the beltway ether.

From Salon

So now I have to actually tell truckers the height or the clearance of the tunnel and direct them to the other side of the beltway.

From New York Times

Completed in 1977, the Francis Scott Key Bridge was a practical, final link to the beltway of roads that circled Baltimore Harbor, a much-needed solution to reduce Harbor Tunnel congestion.

From New York Times

But DeSantis’s threat to Trump, which is also true of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, was very much exaggerated and mostly a creation of the news media and DC beltway political consultant class.

From Salon

"American support to Taiwan cannot be limited to the beltway," Hsiao said, referring to the Washington political scene.

From Reuters

Related Words

• artery
• highway
• interstate
• road
• superhighway
• thoroughfare