1
: a passage for a current of air (as in a mine or to the lungs)
2
: a designated route along which airplanes fly from airport to airport
especially
: such a route equipped with navigational aids
3
: airline
4
: a channel of a designated radio frequency for broadcasting or other radio communication
Examples of airway in a Sentence
a patient with a partially blocked airway
Recent Examples on the Web
Respiratory Conditions Chronic respiratory conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affect your lungs and airways, causing symptoms like coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.
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Lindsay Curtis, Health, 28 Apr. 2026
The therapy strengthens the muscles at the front of the airway, helping support the throat and maintain airflow during breathing.
—New Atlas, 24 Apr. 2026
His airways are damaged by a lung condition called bronchiectasis, for which there’s finally new medicine after decades of research.
—Gabrielle Ng, Bloomberg, 23 Apr. 2026
Inhalers often contain albuterol, a bronchodilator that relaxes the muscles and opens up the airway.
—Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for airway
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Lindsay Curtis, Health, 28 Apr. 2026
The therapy strengthens the muscles at the front of the airway, helping support the throat and maintain airflow during breathing.
—New Atlas, 24 Apr. 2026
His airways are damaged by a lung condition called bronchiectasis, for which there’s finally new medicine after decades of research.
—Gabrielle Ng, Bloomberg, 23 Apr. 2026
Inhalers often contain albuterol, a bronchodilator that relaxes the muscles and opens up the airway.
—Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for airway
Cite this Entry
“Airway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airway. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
airway
noun
air·way
-ˌwā 
: a passageway for air into or out of the lungs
specifically
: a device passed into the trachea by way of the mouth or nose or through an incision to maintain a clear respiratory passageway (as during anesthesia, convulsions, or in obstructive laryngitis) see upper airway
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