streets

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "streets" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used as a noun to refer to a public road, or as an adverb to refer to a geographic area. Example sentence: The city was alive with bustling streets filled with people.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Our streets.

The New York Times

Whether the action's beneficiaries in the streets below appreciated the reference to the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling was not recorded, but in a press release, activists did claim that a woman who had been trying to collect money for a bus ride was able to pay her fare with the free money.

The Guardian - Opinion

His debut album, A Larum, is as much about love as it is about getting lost on the streets of north London.

The Guardian - Music

You know that the only real alternative to watching a dozen How I Met Your Mother repeats in a row is for us to run into the streets screaming until we accidentally clatter into a polling booth.

The Guardian

By contrast, thousands of jubilant Kurds flooded the streets of the south-eastern city of Diyarbakir as the results came in.

The Guardian

Hungarians have taken to the streets in recent weeks to demand corruption be stamped out, and experts said the protests against the internet tax showed that anger was building.

The Guardian

As demonstrators take to the streets for civil rights in Birmingham, Alabama, a police officer deliberately sets a dog on an unarmed man.

The Guardian - Arts

Community activist Stafford Scott said "we are very disappointed" and called for a public inquiry into why police did not remove the gun from the streets when its existence was first reported to them.

The Guardian

They don't want to be firebrands; their music is what Holman calls "social documentation" in the lineage of the Streets, rather than Rage Against The Machine.

The Guardian - Music

Antony and Constantine toured the streets and clubs, recruiting downtown characters to perform in their theatrical extravaganzas, which would always climax in a song by Antony.

The Guardian - Music

A fourth man has died from what police fear is a potentially fatal batch of ecstasy being sold on British streets.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid overusing "streets" in your writing by considering synonyms such as "avenues", "roads", or "thoroughfares" to provide variety.

Common error

Don't use "streets" when referring to private roads or driveways. Streets are generally public spaces maintained by the local government.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "streets" is as a plural noun. Ludwig shows its use to denote public roads in urban areas. It functions as the object of prepositions (e.g., "on the streets") or as a subject/object in a sentence.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the term "streets" functions primarily as a plural noun, denoting public roads in urban environments. According to Ludwig, it serves to describe locations, activities, and conditions within a community, maintaining a neutral register suitable for diverse communication contexts. Frequently used in News & Media, this term is grammatically sound and very common in English writing. Use "streets" to accurately describe urban public roads, while considering synonyms like "roads" or "avenues" for variety, and avoiding its use for private access ways.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

roads

A general term for routes connecting places, less specific than "streets".

roadways

A more formal term for roads, suggesting a larger or more important route.

thoroughfares

Places focus on movement.

avenues

Suggests a wide, often tree-lined street, implying a certain grandeur.

thoroughfares

Emphasizes the function of the streets as routes for travel.

boulevards

Wide streets that are often divided, and are usually in a city.

urban roads

Streets located within a city or town.

city roads

Roads specific to an urban environment.

lanes

Implies a narrow road, often in a rural or residential area.

passageways

More pedestrian and enclosed.

FAQs

How can I use "streets" in a sentence?

You can use "streets" to refer to public roads in a town or city. For example: "The "streets" were filled with people during the festival."

What are some synonyms for "streets"?

Depending on the context, you can use synonyms such as "roads", "avenues", or "thoroughfares" instead of "streets".

Is it correct to say "street" instead of "streets"?

The correct usage depends on whether you are referring to one specific street or multiple streets. Use "street" for a single road and "streets" for multiple roads.

What is the difference between "streets" and "roads"?

"Streets" are typically located in urban areas, while "roads" can be in either urban or rural areas. "Streets" often have buildings on both sides, whereas roads may not.