: 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
Alice George, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2025
Take a dip in the heated outdoor Cistern pool, which is nearly 70 feet long, has a unique zigzag design, and features multiple high-power aqua jets.
—Megan Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 23 Dec. 2024
Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 17 Nov. 2023
Rob Crossan, JSTOR Daily, 17 Jan. 2025
In addition to the butterflies, there are scratches and incisions of various kinds—crosses, diamonds, triangles, zigzags—as well as the pecked and ground depressions known as cup-marks.
—Peter Ross, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for zigzag 
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Noun
As his followers grow older, Charlie Brown remains a downcast boy wearing a yellow shirt with a black zigzag stripe.
—Alice George, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2025
Take a dip in the heated outdoor Cistern pool, which is nearly 70 feet long, has a unique zigzag design, and features multiple high-power aqua jets.
—Megan Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 23 Dec. 2024
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
And many higher echelon Maldivians, zigzagging between cozying up to India and China, appear to benefit from tourists who don’t look beyond the sun loungers and the cocktail bar on their private atoll.
—Rob Crossan, JSTOR Daily, 17 Jan. 2025
In addition to the butterflies, there are scratches and incisions of various kinds—crosses, diamonds, triangles, zigzags—as well as the pecked and ground depressions known as cup-marks.
—Peter Ross, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for zigzag
Dictionary Entries Near zigzag
Cite this Entry
“Zigzag.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zigzag. Accessed 20 Jan. 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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