slalom

1 of 2

noun

sla·​lom ˈslä-ləm How to pronounce slalom (audio)
often attributive
1
: skiing in a zigzag or wavy course between upright obstacles (such as flags)
2
: a timed race (as on skis or in an automobile or kayak) over a winding or zigzag course past a series of flags or markers
broadly : movement over a zigzag route

slalom

2 of 2

verb

slalomed; slaloming; slaloms

intransitive verb

: to move over a zigzag course in or as if in a slalom

Examples of slalom in a Sentence

Verb slalomed through the crowd with the ease of an Olympic skier
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Marchand scored again for a 3-1 lead five minutes into the third period with a brilliant back and forth slalom past Oilers defenseman Jake Walman that all but left Walman corkscrewed into the ice. Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 15 June 2025 John won the National Off-Road Bicycle Association Championship in cross-country, downhill and slalom in 1988, and went on to accumulate several more titles before retiring in 2005 as the winningest mountain biker ever. Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 6 June 2025
Verb
That’s not entirely uncommon in college golf, but the programs at TCU had a few more logistical challenges to slalom than the norm. Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 June 2025 The Panthers survived an Aleksander Barkov delay of game penalty and McDavid slaloming through tired penalty killers only to be turned away by Bobrovsky’s stomach snow angel. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 13 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for slalom

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Norwegian slalåm, literally, sloping track

First Known Use

Noun

1921, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1932, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of slalom was in 1921

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slalom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slalom. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

slalom

noun
sla·​lom
ˈsläl-əm
1
: skiing in a zigzag or wavy course between upright poles
2
: a timed skiing race over such a course

More from Merriam-Webster on slalom

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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