jaywalk

verb

jay·​walk ˈjā-ˌwȯk How to pronounce jaywalk (audio)
jaywalked; jaywalking; jaywalks

intransitive verb

: to cross a street carelessly or in an illegal manner so as to be endangered by traffic
jaywalker noun

Examples of jaywalk in a Sentence

The police officer warned us not to jaywalk.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Not anymore – and part of the reason for the change is who was overwhelmingly being cited for jaywalking. Andrew Torgan, CNN, 4 Nov. 2024 New York City had outlawed jaywalking since 1958 with the violation carrying a penalty of up to $250 before the new law was enacted. Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024 Beachgoers who parked in neighborhoods jaywalked through a sea of cars across the highway to the sand. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2024 In 2021, the Kansas City city council eliminated jaywalking to reform city laws that were disproportionately applied to people of color. Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for jaywalk 

Word History

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jaywalk was in 1915

Dictionary Entries Near jaywalk

Cite this Entry

“Jaywalk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jaywalk. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

jaywalk

verb
jay·​walk ˈjā-ˌwȯk How to pronounce jaywalk (audio)
: to cross a street carelessly without paying attention to traffic regulations
jaywalker noun

Legal Definition

jaywalk

intransitive verb
jay·​walk ˈjā-ˌwȯk How to pronounce jaywalk (audio)
: to cross a street carelessly or in an illegal manner so as to be endangered by traffic

More from Merriam-Webster on jaywalk

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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