zig

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: one of the sharp turns, angles, or alterations in a zigzag course
b
: one of the short straight lines or sections of a zigzag course at an angle to a zag
2
: a sharp alteration or change of direction (as in a process or policy)
the quick zigs and zags of his international maneuveringsThe New York Times

zig

2 of 2

verb

zigged; zigging

intransitive verb

: to execute a zig
usually contrasted with zag
zigs when others zag

Examples of zig in a Sentence

Verb the fox zigged to the right, and the hounds followed
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The three available colors (pink, white and blue) have cool zig zags that almost match the pattern of criss-crossing laces for an aesthetic shoe meant for all players regardless of level. Good Housekeeping, 26 June 2023 Beyond the zig zag, aerial footage shows more than a dozen other cars are seen upturned along railroad tracks that lead into a split wooded area. Laura Daniella Sepulveda, USA TODAY, 9 June 2023 Priced from $10 to $75, the brand’s debut collection includes hair styling clips, zig zag headbands, a detangling brush, neoprene cases and organizers, a puffy tote bag and a 1.25-inch triple-barrel hair waver. Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Mar. 2023 Miranda starts to say before making zig-zags with his hands. Nick Romano, EW.com, 5 Apr. 2023 This one takes the super-breathable, yet warmth-trapping zig-zag channels of the company’s R1 Air—ideal for cold-weather endurance pursuits—and styles it into a casual-looking crew. Lisa Jhung, Outside Online, 9 Feb. 2023 Go for diamonds of varying sizes, zig-zag lines, thin contrasting lines, or even a yellow and blue design. Rena Behar, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Mar. 2023 The vacuum has four cleaning modes (auto, zig zag, spot, and edge), which can be used to access different areas and target specific cleaning needs. Casey Clark, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2023 And be comfortable zig-zagging a bit from your original path. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2023
Verb
His approach worked not only for obtuse triangles, but for far more complicated shapes: Irregular 100-sided tables, say, or polygons whose walls zig and zag creating nooks and crannies, have periodic orbits, so long as the angles are rational. Quanta Magazine, 15 Feb. 2024 Miniaturization could also aid China’s development of hypersonic warheads that would zig and zag to evade U.S. defenses. William J. Broad, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2023 And with their primetime schedules already a mishmash of the ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox network schedules refreshed at the LA Screenings via longstanding output deals, Reeb and his programmers have had to zig as the Americans zag as the summer goes on. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 June 2023 Ever since Disney acquired most of the entertainment assets from (what used to be) 21st Century Fox, the leaner Fox Corp. has tried to zig while others have zagged. Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 May 2023 Even if there were antimissile bases pointed south, current antimissile technology is designed to intercept intercontinental ballistic warheads on predictable, parabolic paths in outer space — not hypersonic weapons that can zig and zag through the atmosphere. New York Times, 27 Oct. 2021 Beyond that, so much of it was about us trying to zig where season 1 zagged on a narrative level. Ruth Kinane, EW.com, 11 Nov. 2021 The 800-fill Responsible Down Standard goose-down, often called RDS down, uses three-layer technology that stacks the baffles in a zig-zag pattern for continuous insulation, preventing any cold spots or down migration. Danny Perez, Popular Mechanics, 3 Feb. 2023 This summer, Sony continues to zig where other studios zag. Vulture, 15 July 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'zig.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

zigzag

First Known Use

Noun

1840, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1940, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of zig was in 1840

Dictionary Entries Near zig

Cite this Entry

“Zig.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zig. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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