zigzag

1 of 4

noun

zig·​zag ˈzig-ˌzag How to pronounce zigzag (audio)
: one of a series of short sharp turns, angles, or alterations in a course
also : something having the form or character of such a series
a blouse with green zigzags
endured the zigzags of policy Richard Bernstein
zigzaggy adjective

zigzag

2 of 4

adverb

: in or by a zigzag path or course

zigzag

3 of 4

adjective

: having short sharp turns or angles
a zigzag trail

zigzag

4 of 4

verb

zigzagged; zigzagging

transitive verb

: to form into a zigzag or move along a zigzag course

intransitive verb

: to lie in, proceed along, or consist of a zigzag course

Examples of zigzag in a Sentence

Noun The kids were running in circles and zigzags around the yard. He's wearing a shirt with red zigzags on it. Verb We saw a motorcycle zigzagging on the highway. The player with the ball zigzagged back and forth down the field. A dirt road zigzags up the steep hill to our cabin.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
New York Community Bancorp had another sharp zigzag day and went from an early loss of nearly 10% to a gain and back to a loss of 6.5%. Stan Choe, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2024 Pipe the frosting in a zigzag pattern for an eye-catching presentation. 20 Potato Candy This old-fashioned candy originated during the Great Depression when ingredients were limited. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 22 Sep. 2023 Use a sewing machine set to a zigzag stitch to attach the strips, sewing the 4-inch sides together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023 Apply the paint in 3-by-3-foot sections, using a zigzag pattern to get paint onto the wall quickly. Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2024 The centerpiece of her outfit also featured speckles of white and red as well in a classic zigzag pattern. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 8 Jan. 2024 With the green dough sheets, use a succulent fondant cutter to create zigzag shapes. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Oct. 2023 But the network is winding, uneven and in some parts fashioned in a zigzag pattern to evade Israeli detection. Bryan Pietsch, Washington Post, 25 Oct. 2023 The bites are often found in clusters, either in a straight row or zigzag pattern, WebMD states. Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 20 Oct. 2023
Adjective
Any number of odd, zigzag examples can be used to make the case that legislative districts in Wisconsin are excessively gerrymandered. Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 17 Nov. 2023
Verb
Expect lots of wild poppies, Butterfly Mariposa lilies and zigzag larkspur. John Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024 Servers cut cramped zigzags across the packed ballroom wielding trays of bubbling hot mac ’n’ cheese, truffle pizza and petite cheeseburgers with tiny paper cones full of crisp fries while winners waited with their handlers to see their statues marked with their wins. Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024 Now trench lines zigzag across positions intended to replicate the battlespace in Ukraine. Alex Horton, Washington Post, 22 Feb. 2024 The neighborhood’s boundaries zigzag from the Menomonee River to the north, Frederick Miller Way to the south, Hawley Road and 60th Street along Blue Mound Road to the west, and Brewers Blvd. Journal Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2024 The labyrinth under Gaza itself is believed to be the most extensive, complex and sophisticated, with long passages zigzagging at different depths underground beneath population centers. Laura Strickler, NBC News, 23 Oct. 2023 Long sections about her college off-Broadway work and her first big break can seem discursive, especially when parts start to zigzag between different eras in India’s still-quite-young life. Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2024 The Fed pays more attention to the inflation figure after ignoring prices for food and fuel, which can zigzag sharply month to month. Stan Choe, Fortune, 26 Jan. 2024 Choose from six cleaning modes: auto cleaning, spot cleaning, edge cleaning, schedule cleaning, manual control, and zigzag control. Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 10 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'zigzag.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French

First Known Use

Noun

1712, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

circa 1730, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1750, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1777, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of zigzag was in 1712

Dictionary Entries Near zigzag

Cite this Entry

“Zigzag.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zigzag. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

zigzag

1 of 4 noun
zig·​zag ˈzig-ˌzag How to pronounce zigzag (audio)
: one of a series of short sharp turns, angles, or changes in a course
also : something having the form or appearance of such a series

zigzag

2 of 4 adverb
: in or by a zigzag path or course

zigzag

3 of 4 adjective
: having short sharp turns or angles

zigzag

4 of 4 verb
zigzagged; zigzagging
: to form, move along, or consist of a zigzag course

More from Merriam-Webster on zigzag

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