switch·back
ˈswich-ˌbak 
: a zigzag road, trail, or section of railroad tracks for climbing a steep hill
switchback
adjective
switchbacked; switchbacking; switchbacks
: to follow a zigzag course especially for ascent or descent
a trail that switchbacks
Examples of switchback in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 22 Mar. 2024
The steering needs more feel, and the brakes could use more fade resistance for onslaughts of switchbacks.
—Larry Griffin, Car and Driver, 14 May 2023
Imagine if Atlantic City in New Jersey were simultaneously hemmed in and backed by a high Nevada plateau, and if the two locales were connected by a two-lane switchback highway.
—Julia Shipley, WIRED, 13 Jan. 2024
The circuitous service road is an obstacle course of loose rocks, potholes, water bars, the occasional mud puddle, and challenging 180-degree switchbacks.
—Bill Roberson, Robb Report, 3 Jan. 2024
This 300-mile route is most often tackled by travelers on the back of motorbikes looking to brave the mountain switchbacks that descend into the thick jungle and pass from small village to small village.
—Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 4 Feb. 2024
View Photos The Route Napoléon, which climbs north from the French Riviera to Grenoble, is widely considered one of the best driving roads in Europe, with a spectacular collection of narrow switchbacks and high-speed curves connected by brief straights.
—Joe Lorio, Car and Driver, 4 July 2023
My hiking shadow wore Nike tennis shoes, a concerning footwear choice for descending steep icy switchbacks.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2024
This guided, moderate-to-strenuous 2-mile hike, starting from the park visitor’s center, will take the switchbacks of the Panoramic Overlook Trail up to a scenic overlook of the Borrego Valley and Fonts Point.
—The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Dec. 2023
Salman Masood, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2023
Prepare to be blown away by Sardinia's west coast, where the road swerves around cliffs, wiggles across bridges, and switchbacks through towns and villages spilling down the cliffside.
—Julia Buckley, Travel + Leisure, 9 Aug. 2023
The serpentine road cuts back and forth up the mountain, each of its dozen or so switchbacks tight and steep.
—Michael Barry, WSJ, 25 May 2023
This is a land of chestnuts, almonds, olive oil and vineyards, as well as rocky outcrops and switchback roads.
—Tom Mullen, Forbes, 24 July 2022
Montoya, who lives along a dirt switchback 15 miles from here in Newcomb, N.M., began focusing on contact tracing in April.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2020
Scientists have observed bursts of energetic particles never seen before on such a small scale, as well as switchback-like reversals in the out-flowing solar magnetic field that seem to whip up the solar wind.
—Fox News, 11 July 2020
Noun
Narrow streets are layered in a tight series of switchbacks and lined by tall angular buildings, stilted houses wrapped in porches and picturesque ruins.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 22 Mar. 2024
The steering needs more feel, and the brakes could use more fade resistance for onslaughts of switchbacks.
—Larry Griffin, Car and Driver, 14 May 2023
Imagine if Atlantic City in New Jersey were simultaneously hemmed in and backed by a high Nevada plateau, and if the two locales were connected by a two-lane switchback highway.
—Julia Shipley, WIRED, 13 Jan. 2024
The circuitous service road is an obstacle course of loose rocks, potholes, water bars, the occasional mud puddle, and challenging 180-degree switchbacks.
—Bill Roberson, Robb Report, 3 Jan. 2024
This 300-mile route is most often tackled by travelers on the back of motorbikes looking to brave the mountain switchbacks that descend into the thick jungle and pass from small village to small village.
—Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 4 Feb. 2024
View Photos The Route Napoléon, which climbs north from the French Riviera to Grenoble, is widely considered one of the best driving roads in Europe, with a spectacular collection of narrow switchbacks and high-speed curves connected by brief straights.
—Joe Lorio, Car and Driver, 4 July 2023
My hiking shadow wore Nike tennis shoes, a concerning footwear choice for descending steep icy switchbacks.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2024
This guided, moderate-to-strenuous 2-mile hike, starting from the park visitor’s center, will take the switchbacks of the Panoramic Overlook Trail up to a scenic overlook of the Borrego Valley and Fonts Point.
—The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Dec. 2023
Verb
Cable cars have become relatively regular modes of transport for residents of the mountainous northern region of Pakistan, where journeys along switchback roads climbing steep slopes or descending into deep valleys can take hours to cover just a few miles as the crow flies.
—Salman Masood, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2023
Prepare to be blown away by Sardinia's west coast, where the road swerves around cliffs, wiggles across bridges, and switchbacks through towns and villages spilling down the cliffside.
—Julia Buckley, Travel + Leisure, 9 Aug. 2023
The serpentine road cuts back and forth up the mountain, each of its dozen or so switchbacks tight and steep.
—Michael Barry, WSJ, 25 May 2023
This is a land of chestnuts, almonds, olive oil and vineyards, as well as rocky outcrops and switchback roads.
—Tom Mullen, Forbes, 24 July 2022
Montoya, who lives along a dirt switchback 15 miles from here in Newcomb, N.M., began focusing on contact tracing in April.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2020
Scientists have observed bursts of energetic particles never seen before on such a small scale, as well as switchback-like reversals in the out-flowing solar magnetic field that seem to whip up the solar wind.
—Fox News, 11 July 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'switchback.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Switchback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/switchback. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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