zip

1 of 6

verb (1)

ˈzip 

zipped; zipping; zips

intransitive verb

1

: to move, act, or function with speed and vigor

2

: to travel with a sharp hissing or humming sound

transitive verb

1

: to impart speed or force to

2

: to add zest, interest, or life to

—often used with up

3

: to transport or propel with speed

zip

2 of 6

noun (1)

1

: a sudden sharp hissing or sibilant sound

2

: energy, vim

zipless

ˈzip-ləs 

adjective

zip

3 of 6

noun (2)

: nothing, zero

the final score was 27 to zip

zip

4 of 6

noun (3)

chiefly British

: zipper

zip

5 of 6

verb (2)

zipped; zipping; zips

transitive verb

1

a

: to close or open with or as if with a zipper

b

: to enclose or wrap by fastening a zipper

2

: to cause (a zipper) to open or shut

intransitive verb

: to become open, closed, or attached by means of a zipper

zip

6 of 6

noun (4)

often all capitalized

: zip code sense 1

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• hum
• buzz
• whizz
• whirr
• whisper
• burr
• zoom

Noun (1)

• energy
• vigor
• juice
• gas
• drive
• pep
• dash
• punch
• life
• bounce
• zing
• beans

Noun (2)

• nothing
• zero

Examples of zip in a Sentence

Verb (1)

a dragonfly zipped by my ear

the fly zipped around the room, trying to find a way to the outside

knowing that she was already late, she went zipping off to meet her next client

Noun (1)

he has surprising zip for a man his age

Noun (2)

I've got zip as far as new ideas go

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

On a stretch of desert within view of a camel racetrack and protected land for ancient dunes — where fighter jets from the Al Dhafra Air Base occasionally zip by overhead — Abu Dhabi renewable energy firm Masdar has begun construction on the world’s largest solar-and-battery power project. —Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2025

Landscaping crews zipped along cemetery roads around in carts as sprinklers shot water across green lawns. —Chris Kenning, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025

Noun

There’s an internal zip pocket for valuables like your wallet or keys, as well as a slip pocket for easy access to items like a cellphone or sunglasses. —Shea Simmons, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025

This superfast pasta wowed our taste testers with its balance of cozy cheesiness with the sunny zip from fresh lemon. —Josh Miller, Southern Living, 29 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

imitative of the sound of a speeding object

Noun (2)

origin unknown

Verb (2)

back-formation from zipper

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1852, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1862, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

circa 1900, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1925, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1925, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (4)

1962, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing zip

• zip code
• zip fastener
• zip file
• zip gun
• zip it
• zip line
• zip one's lip
• zip tie
• zip up

Rhymes for zip

• blip
• chip
• clip
• dip
• drip
• flip
• grip
• grippe
• hip
• ip
• kip
• lip

Kids Definition

zip

1 of 5 verb

ˈzip 

zipped; zipping

1

: to move or act with speed and energy

2

: to travel with a sharp hissing or humming sound

3

: to add energy, interest, or life to

—often used with up

zip

2 of 5 noun

1

: a sudden sharp hissing sound

2

: vim, energy

zip

3 of 5 verb

zipped; zipping

: to close or open with a zipper

zip

4 of 5 noun

: zero entry 1 sense 1

won the game 7–zip

zip

5 of 5 noun

often capitalized Z&I&P

: zip code

Etymology

Verb

a word created to imitate the sound of an object speeding past

Verb

from zipper

Noun

origin unknown