often attributive
1
: a highway skirting an urban area
2
capitalized
: the political and social world of Washington, D.C., viewed especially as insular and exclusive
understanding better than Beltway insiders what really interests voters—
L. I. Barrett
L. I. BarrettExamples of beltway in a Sentence
Her influence extends beyond the Beltway.
Recent Examples on the Web
It was once envisioned as part of a beltway loop around Hartford, linking Farmington on the western end and Rocky Hill on the east.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 29 Feb. 2024
Troopers responded at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday to the crash on the beltway’s inner loop near Interstate 83 in Baltimore County, where investigators believe a 2023 GMC Savana operated by Ward changed lanes and crashed into the rear of a 1989 Ford tow truck.
—Dan Belson, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2024
The Francis Scott Key Bridge was part of Interstate 695, which is the beltway bypass around Baltimore.
—The Editors, National Review, 3 Apr. 2024
Mar 26, 6:04 AM The history of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge
The 1.6-mile bridge on the I-695 beltway crosses the Patapsco River, where Francis Scott Key was inspired to write the words of the U.S. national anthem in 1814, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority.
—Abc News, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for beltway 
Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 29 Feb. 2024
Troopers responded at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday to the crash on the beltway’s inner loop near Interstate 83 in Baltimore County, where investigators believe a 2023 GMC Savana operated by Ward changed lanes and crashed into the rear of a 1989 Ford tow truck.
—Dan Belson, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2024
The Francis Scott Key Bridge was part of Interstate 695, which is the beltway bypass around Baltimore.
—The Editors, National Review, 3 Apr. 2024
Mar 26, 6:04 AM The history of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge
The 1.6-mile bridge on the I-695 beltway crosses the Patapsco River, where Francis Scott Key was inspired to write the words of the U.S. national anthem in 1814, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority.
—Abc News, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for beltway
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'beltway.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Beltway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beltway. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
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