Definition

Noun: A major, high-speed, limited-access road that is part of a national network connecting cities and states across the contiguous United States. These highways are built to federal standards and are identified by their distinctive red, white, and blue shield signs.

Usage

The term "interstate highway" refers specifically to the physical road itself. It is often used in formal, legal, and geographical contexts to describe this class of roadway. - The interstate highway system was authorized by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. - Traffic on the interstate highway was moving slowly due to construction. - They took the interstate highway to travel from Chicago to St. Louis.

Advanced Usage

• "The Interstate": When used with the definite article and capitalized, it often refers to the entire Interstate Highway System as a concept or network.
  • The construction of the Interstate transformed American commerce and travel.

Variants and Related Words

• Interstate (noun, informal): A common shortened form of "interstate highway."
  • We need to get back on the interstate; these country roads are too slow.
• Freeway / Motorway / Thruway: These are synonyms or regional terms for similar types of high-speed, controlled-access roads, though "interstate highway" specifies its inclusion in the U.S. federal system.

Synonyms

• Superhighway
• Expressway (Note: Some expressways may not be part of the Interstate system.)

Related Phrases

• Interstate commerce: The transport of goods across state lines, for which the interstate highway system is a critical infrastructure.
  • The trucking company specializes in interstate commerce.

Noun

1. one of the system of highways linking major cities in the 48 contiguous states of the United States