1
: a piece or device for holding or securing: such as
a
: a pin inserted in a nautical knot to make it more secure or easier to slip
b
: a crosspiece attached to the end of or to a loop in something (such as a chain, rope, line, strap, or belt) usually to prevent slipping, to serve in twisting or tightening, or to hold something attached
2
: a device consisting of two bars jointed together end to end but not in line so that when a force is applied to the joint tending to straighten it pressure will be exerted on the parts adjacent or fixed to the outer ends of the bars
also
: a device with a joint using a toggle
3
computers
: a setting that can be switched between two different options by performing a single action (such as selecting a menu option or pressing a key)
toggled; toggling
ˈtä-g(ə-)liŋ 
; toggles
; toggles
1
: to fasten with or as if with a toggle
2
: to furnish with a toggle
3
: to switch between two different options for (something, such as a computer setting) usually by pressing a single button or a simple key combination
toggle the sound on a computer off and on
: to switch between usually two different options, states, or activities : alternate, cycle
Prevent bad habits by intervening when kids toggle between texting and studying …—
Phyllis Fagell
Phyllis FagellThe brain continues to toggle back and forth between non-REM and REM sleep throughout the night, once every hour and a half.—Alice Park et al.
Alice Park et al.
specifically
: to change between usually two options of an electronic device by means of a simple hardware or software control (such as a button, a switch, or a combination of keys)
You also get … an icon that lets you toggle between keyboard and gamepad controls. —Ian Paul
Ian Paul Users can toggle between these three views at any time, offering a more customizable way to consume the content on the site. —Arielle Pardes
Arielle Pardes … a prompt asks for permission to access the front-facing camera. As with any app, this permission can be toggled on or off … —Joe Rossignol
Joe Rossignol Using the steering wheel, you can toggle through various layouts including navigation, trip computer, audio, driver's assistance features, and a tachometer. —Benjamin Zhang
Benjamin Zhang Examples of toggle in a Sentence
Noun
Instead of buttons, the jacket has toggles.
Recent Examples on the WebPCMAG, 28 Mar. 2024
The catch is that this toggle impacts the use of your personal data only in Comcast’s advertising, marketing, and recommendations systems.
—Reece Rogers, WIRED, 19 Jan. 2024
A little effort and a couple of toggles can save you time and peace of mind.
—Danielle Abril, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2023
There’s a toggle in the network settings to set your default connection and switch between the two.
—Simon Hill Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 27 Feb. 2024
With this toggle turned on, your desktop wallpaper looks like a still image.
—Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 26 Sep. 2023
These Sorel snow boots come in toddler, little kid, and big kid sizes, and an adjustable ankle strap and toggle cinch keep snow and wetness out.
—Karthika Gupta, Parents, 11 Jan. 2024
Engaging this mode requires a simple long press of the second button, activating a sequence that intelligently toggles temperatures between warm and cool settings.
—Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2024
Chinn’s film toggles between the anguish that envelopes mother and daughter and the developments of a routine coming-of-age story.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2024
Sarah Klein, TIME, 18 Apr. 2024
How Golden State toggles its matchups against Sabonis will be interesting this time around, though, as Jackson-Davis is in the mix for the first time.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2024
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Use up and down arrows to change volume, and spacebar or enter to toggle mute.
—Marah Eakin, WIRED, 11 Apr. 2024
Businesses expect executives to fly at different altitudes, toggling between 30,000-foot vision and strategy, and 30-foot project management, production and scale.
—Sarah Davanzo, Rolling Stone, 11 Apr. 2024
Bird acknowledges that there is concern Microsoft and other companies could be deciding what is or isn’t appropriate for AI models, so her team added a way for Azure customers to toggle the filtering of hate speech or violence that the model sees and blocks.
—Emilia David, The Verge, 28 Mar. 2024
Jones, a scene-stealer in supporting roles for years, gives a tour de force lead performance that toggles between unsettling, yearning and tender.
—Jen Yamato, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2024
Callahan toggles back and forth between the language of hearing and the language of vision, using them seemingly interchangeably.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2024
Memristors and similar devices are essentially switches that can remember which electric state they were toggled to after their power is turned off.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Mar. 2024
Noun
Missing here are an on-lens focus toggle and a dedicated function button.
—PCMAG, 28 Mar. 2024
The catch is that this toggle impacts the use of your personal data only in Comcast’s advertising, marketing, and recommendations systems.
—Reece Rogers, WIRED, 19 Jan. 2024
A little effort and a couple of toggles can save you time and peace of mind.
—Danielle Abril, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2023
There’s a toggle in the network settings to set your default connection and switch between the two.
—Simon Hill Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 27 Feb. 2024
With this toggle turned on, your desktop wallpaper looks like a still image.
—Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 26 Sep. 2023
These Sorel snow boots come in toddler, little kid, and big kid sizes, and an adjustable ankle strap and toggle cinch keep snow and wetness out.
—Karthika Gupta, Parents, 11 Jan. 2024
Engaging this mode requires a simple long press of the second button, activating a sequence that intelligently toggles temperatures between warm and cool settings.
—Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2024
Chinn’s film toggles between the anguish that envelopes mother and daughter and the developments of a routine coming-of-age story.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2024
Verb
But every practitioner should at least be aware of the possibility of MBP abuse because victims often toggle among many different specialists, such as gastroenterologists, pediatric neurologists, and infectious disease physicians, Gavril says.
—Sarah Klein, TIME, 18 Apr. 2024
How Golden State toggles its matchups against Sabonis will be interesting this time around, though, as Jackson-Davis is in the mix for the first time.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2024
Please check back again soon for the recorded video.
LIVE
VIDEO TO BEGIN AFTER AD
Loaded: 0%
00:03
Progress: 0%
Use up and down arrows to change volume, and spacebar or enter to toggle mute.
—Marah Eakin, WIRED, 11 Apr. 2024
Businesses expect executives to fly at different altitudes, toggling between 30,000-foot vision and strategy, and 30-foot project management, production and scale.
—Sarah Davanzo, Rolling Stone, 11 Apr. 2024
Bird acknowledges that there is concern Microsoft and other companies could be deciding what is or isn’t appropriate for AI models, so her team added a way for Azure customers to toggle the filtering of hate speech or violence that the model sees and blocks.
—Emilia David, The Verge, 28 Mar. 2024
Jones, a scene-stealer in supporting roles for years, gives a tour de force lead performance that toggles between unsettling, yearning and tender.
—Jen Yamato, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2024
Callahan toggles back and forth between the language of hearing and the language of vision, using them seemingly interchangeably.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2024
Memristors and similar devices are essentially switches that can remember which electric state they were toggled to after their power is turned off.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'toggle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near toggle
Cite this Entry
“Toggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toggle. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
toggle
1 of 2 noun
tog·gle
ˈtäg-əl
: a crosspiece attached to the end of or to a loop in a rope, chain, or belt to prevent slipping or to serve as a fastening or as a grip for tightening
used a stick as a toggle in tightening a rope
toggle
2 of 2 verb1
: to fasten with or as if with a toggle
2
: to furnish with a toggle
3
: to switch between two options especially of an electronic device usually by pressing a single button or a simple key combination
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