zipped; zipping; zips
1
: to move, act, or function with speed and vigor
2
: to travel with a sharp hissing or humming sound
1
: to impart speed or force to
2
: to add zest, interest, or life to
—often used with up
3
: to transport or propel with speed
zipped; zipping; zips
1
a
: to close or open with or as if with a zipper
b
: to enclose or wrap by fastening a zipper
2
: to cause (a zipper) to open or shut
: to become open, closed, or attached by means of a zipper
Synonyms
Examples of zip in a Sentence
Verb (1)
a dragonfly zipped by my ear
the fly zipped around the room, trying to find a way to the outside
knowing that she was already late, she went zipping off to meet her next client
Noun (1)
he has surprising zip for a man his age
Noun (2)
I've got zip as far as new ideas go
Recent Examples on the Web
David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 3 May 2024
This annual display, which is active from April 15 to May 27, 2024, is known for its speedy meteors that zip through the sky at up to 148,000 miles per hour, according to NASA.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 3 May 2024
In the tradition of Prada Sport, these designs are all about speed and the need to zip through metropolitan centers with ease.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 2 May 2024
While the actor was zipping along the track, his then 11-year-old son filmed the action from the stands.
—Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 1 May 2024
Inside, conveyor belts zip in all directions, carrying recycled items past sophisticated sorting cameras, over rotating combs and beneath powerful magnets.
—Natalie Wallington, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2024
Camera-wielding reporters zipped through the narrow aisles like bees, zooming in on faces and hands.
—Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2024
Then zip you across the water to show off other famous villas, such as the $15,000-per-night option that Beyonce used for her birthday party last year.
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 22 Apr. 2024
The police officer made a last-ditch attempt to hit the brakes, records show, but his SUV zipped over the last 100 yards in less than three seconds, a torpedo destined to crumple almost anything in its path.
—USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2024
Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Apr. 2024
Each features an interior zip pocket for organization plus an outside zipper pocket for small essentials.
—Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 13 Apr. 2024
Totality lasts for close to a minute and 55 seconds, beginning slightly before 3 p.m.
Bardwell, part of Carlisle County, has a zip of 42021 and an area code of 270.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 26 Mar. 2024
Our punches don’t have the same zip to them; the provocations that once felt exciting and necessary now feel tired, rehearsed, even hypocritical in an arguably juvenile yet still broadly legible way.
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024
The bag zips fully closed and includes a folding changing mat.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 27 Mar. 2024
To enhance the fresh, sweet zip of citrus with each sip, rub the cut edge of the orange peel twist around the glass rim.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 28 Mar. 2024
Two zip pockets hold any necessities and reflective detailing to enhance safety on gloomier rainy days.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 14 Mar. 2024
With six interior pockets, five exterior pockets, a luggage sleeve, a zip top, and a detachable crossbody strap, it — quite literally — does it all.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2024
Verb
This leads to superior cornering speeds, meaning the F1 cars zip about on road and street courses much more quickly than IndyCars.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 3 May 2024
This annual display, which is active from April 15 to May 27, 2024, is known for its speedy meteors that zip through the sky at up to 148,000 miles per hour, according to NASA.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 3 May 2024
In the tradition of Prada Sport, these designs are all about speed and the need to zip through metropolitan centers with ease.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 2 May 2024
While the actor was zipping along the track, his then 11-year-old son filmed the action from the stands.
—Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 1 May 2024
Inside, conveyor belts zip in all directions, carrying recycled items past sophisticated sorting cameras, over rotating combs and beneath powerful magnets.
—Natalie Wallington, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2024
Camera-wielding reporters zipped through the narrow aisles like bees, zooming in on faces and hands.
—Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2024
Then zip you across the water to show off other famous villas, such as the $15,000-per-night option that Beyonce used for her birthday party last year.
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 22 Apr. 2024
The police officer made a last-ditch attempt to hit the brakes, records show, but his SUV zipped over the last 100 yards in less than three seconds, a torpedo destined to crumple almost anything in its path.
—USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2024
Noun
Their zip pockets do, however, bar you from riding water slides according to most manufacturers.
—Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Apr. 2024
Each features an interior zip pocket for organization plus an outside zipper pocket for small essentials.
—Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 13 Apr. 2024
Totality lasts for close to a minute and 55 seconds, beginning slightly before 3 p.m.
Bardwell, part of Carlisle County, has a zip of 42021 and an area code of 270.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 26 Mar. 2024
Our punches don’t have the same zip to them; the provocations that once felt exciting and necessary now feel tired, rehearsed, even hypocritical in an arguably juvenile yet still broadly legible way.
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024
The bag zips fully closed and includes a folding changing mat.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 27 Mar. 2024
To enhance the fresh, sweet zip of citrus with each sip, rub the cut edge of the orange peel twist around the glass rim.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 28 Mar. 2024
Two zip pockets hold any necessities and reflective detailing to enhance safety on gloomier rainy days.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 14 Mar. 2024
With six interior pockets, five exterior pockets, a luggage sleeve, a zip top, and a detachable crossbody strap, it — quite literally — does it all.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'zip.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near zip
Cite this Entry
“Zip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zip. Accessed 10 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
zip
1 of 5 verb
zipped; zipping
1
: to move or act with speed and energy
2
: to travel with a sharp hissing or humming sound
3
: to add energy, interest, or life to
—often used with up
zip
3 of 5 verb
zipped; zipping
: to close or open with a zipper
zip
4 of 5 noun
: zero entry 1 sense 1
won the game 7–zip
Etymology
Verb
a word created to imitate the sound of an object speeding past
Verb
from zipper
Noun
origin unknown
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