switchback

1 of 2

noun

switch·​back ˈswich-ˌbak How to pronounce switchback (audio)
Synonyms of switchbacknext
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Hundreds of people trudged up the steep switchbacks in single file. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026 This two-lane highway runs parallel to the Rio Grande and is filled with mountain views, steep inclines, and dramatic switchbacks. — Gabi De La Rosa, Travel + Leisure, 7 June 2026
Verb
Start at the peak’s eponymous trailhead and switchback straight up to the iconic summit. — Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 1 Apr. 2025 The first two miles are the hardest, composed of rocky stairs and switchbacks winding steeply up the side of the mountain. — Eva Frederick, Travel + Leisure, 14 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for switchback

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1863, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1903, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of switchback was in 1863

Rhymes for switchback

See All Rhymes for switchback

Browse Nearby Words

switch angle
switchback
switchblade
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Switchback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/switchback. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

switchback

noun
switch·​back
ˈswich-ˌbak
: a zigzag road, trail, or section of railroad tracks for climbing a steep hill

More from Merriam-Webster on switchback

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