: 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
Richard Bernstein
: in or by a zigzag path or course
: having short sharp turns or angles
a zigzag trail
zigzagged; zigzagging
: to form into a zigzag or move along a zigzag course
: 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
Mac Engel
may 15, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2025
The latest zigzag may be arriving for the U.S. auto industry after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump will sign an executive order Tuesday relaxing some of his 25% auto tariffs.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 17 Nov. 2023
Alann B. Steen, Outdoor Life, 21 May 2025
Others are dyeing them with the skin on, while some are using paint, cutting the potatoes in half and carving out one of their sides in stripes, polka dots, flowers or zigzags to be painted in pastel colors and stamped, resulting in Easter egg-looking art.
—Heather Platt, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for zigzag
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Noun
The most important detail to the college bar is that it can be reached on foot, even if that walk is a zigzag pattern that includes a few falls, and restroom breaks behind public buildings.
—Mac Engel
may 15, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2025
The latest zigzag may be arriving for the U.S. auto industry after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump will sign an executive order Tuesday relaxing some of his 25% auto tariffs.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
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
From the Dempster Highway, the Eagle River zigzags 150 miles to the Bell, which empties 30 miles later into the Porcupine.
—Alann B. Steen, Outdoor Life, 21 May 2025
Others are dyeing them with the skin on, while some are using paint, cutting the potatoes in half and carving out one of their sides in stripes, polka dots, flowers or zigzags to be painted in pastel colors and stamped, resulting in Easter egg-looking art.
—Heather Platt, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for zigzag
Cite this Entry
“Zigzag.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zigzag. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
zigzag
1 of 4 noun
zig·zag
ˈzig-ˌzag 
: 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
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