zip

1 of 6

verb (1)

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 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

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
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.
Verb
The Marina Bay track layout is tight and twisty, leaving little room for error as the 20 drivers zip through the streets. Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025 After zipping his bag, Manchester started moving the crew to the cooler. Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
No longer just the quintessential New England favorite or the Cali tech bro in fleece, the half zip will be spotted everywhere this fall, with so many stylish brands putting their own spin on the classic. Nneya Richards, Travel + Leisure, 1 Oct. 2025 Hailey Bieber arrived in a quarter-zip and lacy yellow shorts to the Saint Laurent show. Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for zip

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of zip was in 1852

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Zip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zip. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

zip

1 of 5 verb
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
Etymology

Verb

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

Verb

from zipper

Noun

origin unknown

More from Merriam-Webster on zip

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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