switchback

1 of 2

noun

switch·​back ˈswich-ˌbak 

: a zigzag road, trail, or section of railroad tracks for climbing a steep hill

switchback adjective

switchback

2 of 2

verb

switchbacked; switchbacking; switchbacks

intransitive verb

: 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

Noun

Travelers previously descended into the canyon along steep switchback roads prone to rockfalls or took long detours around the gorge, routes that added more than an hour to travel time. —Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Apr. 2026

The addition, which contains an atrium and a complex switchback stairway, seems to touch the older building at just one point. —Fred A. Bernstein, Architectural Digest, 2 Apr. 2026

Verb

Hikers should take the Whiptail Loop Trail, which starts next to an informational sign about the preserve and switchbacks down the mountain’s southern side. —Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026

Most roads were nothing more than unpaved, gravel tracks with steep inclines, scary drop-offs, and switchback curves. —Howard Walker, Robb Report, 3 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1863, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1903, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for switchback

• aback
• anzac
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback

Kids Definition

switchback

noun

switch·​back

ˈswich-ˌbak

: a zigzag road, trail, or section of railroad tracks for climbing a steep hill