one-way

159 2.7

Allowing travel in only one direction

adjective
/ˈwʌnˌweɪ/

: de sentido único

To reach the beach, we took a one-way road that didn't allow for any turns back.
a one-way street

It just doesn't it you it's a one way street, right?

Examples

We're giving you a one-way ticket home.

The Hunting Party (2007)
A one-way ticket to Palookaville!

On the Waterfront (1954)
We could only sell enough for four one way tickets.

The Mighty Macs (2011)
Actually, you only had enough points for a one-way ticket.

Mafia Mamma (2023)
I have been promised a one-way ticket.

Sanctuary Population One (2018)
Thought this was a one-way trip.

The Last Sharknado: It's About Time (2018)
That would be a one-way trip.

Oblivion (2013)
So I bought a one-way ticket to New York and never looked back.

A Simple Favor (2018)
It's a one-way trip, Richard.

Voyagers (2021)
Straight ahead, the street they're on is one-way in the opposite direction.

Fiction book (2002)

Synonyms

unidirectional

vsone-way

2 6.8

Working or moving in only one direction

adds that travel cannot return by the same route

Antonyms

two-way

73 3.2

Allowing movement and communication in both directions between two sides

How Bidirectional

reciprocal

20 6.7

bilateral

53 6.0

two-way

73 3.2

one-sided

58 4.0

one-way

159 2.7

Surface Forms

one-way positive

Morphology

one-way = one + way (transparent) = one + way

Clear compound of 'one' + 'way' meaning movement allowed in a single direction; readily inferable by learners.

Etymology

One-way is made of two simple words: one 'single' and way 'path' or 'direction', so it literally means movement in a 'single' direction. That's why a one-way street or ticket lets you go only one way and usually not return the same way.