zigzagging 1 of 2

zigzagging

2 of 2

verb

present participle of zigzag
as in weaving
to move suddenly aside or to and fro the fleeing car zigzagged down the highway at breakneck speed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of zigzagging
Verb
Basulto’s planes would typically fly a few miles apart over large quadrants of the Florida Straits, zigzagging over endless swaths of sea and peering down into the whitecaps for signs of life. Rick Jervis, USA Today, 18 May 2026 Below the falls, the river funnels into the dramatic Batoka Gorge, a series of steep, zigzagging channels carved out over millennia. Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026 The New Museum expansion, designed by OMA/Shohei Shigematsu and Rem Koolhaas, is worth a look, mostly for a dramatically zigzagging staircase that has an appealing Baroque-meets-high-tech energy. Jed Perl, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026 In perimenopause, those same two hormones tumble downward, often on a zigzagging path, which can trigger similar mental symptoms, like anxiety or a short fuse. Erica Sloan, SELF, 6 Apr. 2026 Bruzzone’s sense of dynamics and pacing is remarkable, supercharging his songs with zigzagging melodies that wind up to neck-snapping releases. Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 30 Mar. 2026 Butterflies zigzagging around the gates, the sound of water tumbling down the mountainside, cutting through the greenery. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Mar. 2026 That document said the driver of the car was Aljorna, who prosecutors said was zigzagging through traffic while agents pursued the vehicle. Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026 Available in ash or Canaletto walnut, the zigzagging piece can ascend or descend to different elevations—a table that rises to nearly any occasion. Kathryn O’Shea-Evans, Robb Report, 8 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for zigzagging
Adjective
  • Any number of odd, zigzag examples can be used to make the case that legislative districts in Wisconsin are excessively gerrymandered.
    Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 17 Nov. 2023
Verb
  • Brith, who is ahead and in charge, is taking as her guide the stream, which sparks in the sunlight, cutting a narrow channel through the hillside, weaving itself around rocks and tree trunks, appearing and disappearing, diving underground then springing up in unexpected places.
    Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026
  • The latter can seem more like a game of dodgeball with bikes weaving in and out of your path.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • Now, 25 games and 577 days since the injury that put his career in jeopardy, there was All on the Bengals’ practice fields, cutting and accelerating, extending for receptions and ducking into blocking assignments.
    Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 2 June 2026
  • He was spotted ducking down in a field as traffic passed by and fled before he was found in a small cave, police have said.
    Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 1 June 2026
Adjective
  • Navigating the loss of a friend can be a long and winding journey.
    Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
  • End your drive at Mount Lemmon Ski Area, the southernmost ski resort in the U.S. Just northeast of Tucson, Arizona, the two-lane asphalt of the Sky Island Scenic Byway (also known as the Catalina Highway) carves a winding path up into the rugged Santa Catalina Mountains.
    Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 10 May 2026
Adjective
  • The news in December that the long-standing chairman was leaving, to be replaced by namesake and fellow Fosun executive Nathan Shi, was widely welcomed by fans who held Jeff Shi responsible for the club’s tortuous last few seasons.
    Steve Madeley, New York Times, 25 May 2026
  • First, even leaving aside the long build-time, there is a tortuous regulatory maze that has to be navigated that seems like something the Greek gods devised to annoy Odysseus.
    David Szondy May 24, New Atlas, 24 May 2026
Adjective
  • Taubman Museum of Art Located in a spectacular curved steel and glass building designed by a protégé of Frank Gehry, Taubman Museum of Art celebrates its 75th year in 2026.
    Julekha Dash, Travel + Leisure, 6 June 2026
  • While curved silhouettes may have taken a temporary backseat to the clean lines and sharp angles popularized by modern, industrial, and farmhouse interiors, rounded tables never truly disappeared.
    Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 June 2026
Adjective
  • It’s been just two years since Bottega Veneta launched its inaugural fragrance collection, in which, much like the Maison’s intricate leatherwork, the sinuous bottles perched atop sculptural marble stands felt like stand-alone works of art.
    Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 3 June 2026
  • The sensual styling featured sinuous lines and included a thigh-high slit.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 2 June 2026
Adjective
  • Supposedly the poem was inspired by a peyote-vision where the edifice of San Francisco’s Sir Francis Drake Hotel was transformed into a hideous, twisted, demonic visage, which inspired the beating heart of Howl’s second section.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
  • Imagine that an esteemed journalist published a book profiling a real-life vampire, and then that vampire’s twisted soulmate—also a vampire—started a rock band.
    Judy Berman, Time, 2 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Zigzagging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zigzagging. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on zigzagging

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster