shuttle

USAGE SUMMARY

"shuttle" is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it as a noun to refer to a vehicle or conveyance that carries passengers, typically on a regular route and with frequent stops, or as a verb to mean taking someone or something from one place to another and usually back again. Example sentence: We took a shuttle from the airport to the hotel.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Travel

Space Exploration

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Only 2 people per shuttle due to high altitude.

The Guardian

A free shuttle bus runs guests into town.

The Guardian - Travel

Still, at least they've got space-age golf carts to shuttle you around the campus, complete with pointy white noses so you can pretend you're on a Shinkansen bullet train as you trundle past the manicured verges.

The Guardian - Arts

Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata, as the two goals in the first leg against Madrid showed, are adept at playing on the counter, while Arturo Vidal, even if he isn't quite back to full speed after his injury, has the energy to shuttle forward from a defensive midfield line to prevent the front two becoming isolated.

The Guardian - Sport

A regular shuttle bus into Marrakech ensures guests experience the best of both worlds.

The Guardian - Travel

He has no car, and the shuttle bus runs only a few times a day.

The Economist

In 2013, 20.4m people used the tunnel, either in their own vehicles aboard the tunnel shuttle or as passengers on Eurostar's high-speed trains.

The Economist

Beyond that peak, the fraction should plummet, because few high-energy positrons from other sources would be expected to exist, whereas energetic electrons are abundant.In the 18 months following AMS's delivery to the ISS by the space shuttle Endeavour in May 2011, it recorded the passage of 30 billion cosmic rays.

The Economist

The first nationwide broadcast in digital high-definition was John Glenn's liftoff in the space shuttle Discovery in 1998.

The Economist

"Once you get off your shift, you may have to wait three hours for the shuttle, and then spend another hour on the road," he says.

The Economist

The disease may also have been helped by urbanisation and development, which strengthen the transport links that shuttle virus from villages to the town and back into uninfected country.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing transportation services, use "shuttle" to clearly indicate a service that travels regularly between two or more points. This is especially useful for airport transfers, hotel services, and inter-office commutes.

Common error

Avoid using "shuttle" when the transport is only in one direction. "Shuttle" implies a return trip or a continuous back-and-forth movement. Use "transport" or "transfer" for one-way services.

Linguistic Context

The word "shuttle" functions as both a noun and a verb. As a noun, it refers to a vehicle or service that travels regularly between two points. As a verb, it means to transport people or things back and forth. Ludwig AI states it is a correct and usable word in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Travel

12%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "shuttle" is a versatile term functioning as both a noun and a verb, primarily used to describe transport services and vehicles that travel regularly between two points. According to Ludwig, it is considered grammatically correct and widely used in English. The analysis of various sources reveals that "shuttle" is most frequently found in news and media contexts, as well as in discussions related to travel and space exploration. While "shuttle" has a generally neutral tone suitable for a variety of writing contexts, make sure it implies a return trip.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

commute

Focuses on the regular travel between home and work, implying a routine.

ferry

Implies transportation across water, a more specific mode of transport.

transport

A broader term encompassing any means of moving people or goods.

convey

More formal and emphasizes the act of carrying or transmitting something.

ply

Describes a vehicle traveling regularly over a specific route.

move back and forth

Descriptive phrase emphasizing the reciprocal motion.

carry to and fro

A more archaic and literary way of expressing repeated movement.

run a service

Focuses on the provision of regular transport between locations.

operate a transit

Highlights the formal system of public transportation in play.

express

Describes a fast service with few stops, often used for public transport.

FAQs

How can I use "shuttle" in a sentence?

You can use "shuttle" as a noun to refer to a vehicle that travels regularly between two places, such as "The airport "bus" is a free "shuttle" for passengers" or as a verb meaning to transport people regularly between two places, such as "Tour companies "shuttle" people between places Mr Obama used to frequent".

What's the difference between a "shuttle" and a "ferry"?

While both transport people, a "shuttle" usually operates over shorter distances and often on land, whereas a "ferry" typically transports people and vehicles across water.

What can I say instead of "shuttle"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "commute", "transport", or "ferry". The best choice depends on the mode of transport and the regularity of the service.

Is it correct to use "shuttle" for a one-way trip?

Typically, "shuttle" implies a round trip or a regular back-and-forth service. For a one-way trip, "transfer" or "transport" are more appropriate terms.