roadworks: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to formal in official contexts; common in everyday conversation when discussing travel disruptions.
Quick answer
What does “roadworks” mean?
Repair, maintenance, or construction work being carried out on a road, typically involving temporary traffic restrictions.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Repair, maintenance, or construction work being carried out on a road, typically involving temporary traffic restrictions.
Any temporary infrastructure work on or near a roadway that disrupts normal traffic flow; can also metaphorically refer to any disruptive process of improvement or repair.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
UK: 'roadworks' (plural). US: typically 'road work' or 'road construction' (often singular or compound).
Connotations
UK: Strong association with delays, cones, temporary traffic lights. US: 'Road work' may imply larger-scale construction projects.
Frequency
More frequent in UK English due to climate-related maintenance needs; equally common in US but with different lexical preference.
Grammar
How to Use “roadworks” in a Sentence
There are roadworks on [road name]Roadworks are causing [problem]Roadworks between [point A] and [point B]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “roadworks” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The council is roadworking the High Street this week. (rare, non-standard)
American English
- They will roadwork the intersection next month. (rare, non-standard)
adverb
British English
- The traffic moved roadworks-slowly through the cones. (non-standard, creative)
American English
- We drove road-work-cautiously through the area. (non-standard, creative)
adjective
British English
- A roadworks diversion is in place. (compound modifier)
American English
- A road-work zone requires careful driving. (hyphenated compound)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
May affect logistics and commute times; mentioned in traffic advisories.
Academic
Rare except in civil engineering or urban planning contexts.
Everyday
Common in travel news, complaints about delays, route planning.
Technical
Specific in construction and municipal planning documents.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “roadworks”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “roadworks”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “roadworks”
- Using singular 'roadwork' in British English.
- Confusing with 'roadworks' (activity) vs. 'roadwork' (US) or 'construction site' (physical location).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In British English, it is always treated as a plural noun (e.g., 'The roadworks are causing delays'). In American English, 'road work' is often treated as uncountable or singular.
No, it specifically refers to the activity of construction or repair, not the finished infrastructure.
'Roadworks' often implies repair, maintenance, or smaller-scale projects on existing roads. 'Construction' can imply building new roads or major structural work.
It follows the pattern of other plural nouns denoting activities or projects (e.g., 'works' in 'public works', 'ironworks'), emphasizing the multiple tasks or operations involved.
Repair, maintenance, or construction work being carried out on a road, typically involving temporary traffic restrictions.
Roadworks is usually neutral to formal in official contexts; common in everyday conversation when discussing travel disruptions. in register.
Roadworks: in British English it is pronounced /ˈrəʊd.wɜːks/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈroʊd.wɝːks/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Life is full of roadworks (metaphorical)”
- “The roadworks of progress”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
ROAD + WORKS = work being done on the road. Think of orange cones and 'men at work' signs.
Conceptual Metaphor
OBSTACLES AS ROADWORKS (e.g., 'There are some roadworks in our relationship right now').
Practice
Quiz
Which term is most commonly used in American English for temporary repair work on a highway?