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

Cloud cover limited the helicopter to a lower drop point near 50/50 Flat, above the switchbacks, forcing rescuers to climb on foot to reach the injured woman. — James Ward, USA Today, 2 July 2026

From there, the itinerary continues toward Trollstigen, one of Norway’s most famous mountain roads, known for its steep switchbacks and waterfalls. — Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Verb

By Todd Woody, Bloomberg On a warm summer morning, two fire officials navigate an SUV along a narrow road that switchbacks high into the hills above the town of Fairfax, California, where thickets of trees conceal hundreds of homes. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 8 July 2026

The climb winds through cedar forest and switchbacks into remote Berber villages where the architecture grows out of the rock and days are timed to the sheep and the seasons. — Ritu Upadhyay, Footwear News, 23 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1863, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1903, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for switchback

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

Kids Definition

switchback

noun

switch·​back

ˈswich-ˌbak

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