switchback
Americannoun
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a highway, as in a mountainous area, having many hairpin curves.
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Railroads. a zigzag track arrangement for climbing a steep grade.
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British. roller coaster.
verb (used without object)
noun
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a mountain road, railway, or track which rises and falls sharply many times or a sharp rise and fall on such a road, railway, or track
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another word (esp Brit) for big dipper
Etymology
Origin of switchback
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
From there, we hiked up a short but steep switchback that ended on a dirt plateau.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 28, 2025
They found that the DNA formed switchback loops as it was pushed into the capsid, an important finding as it is similar to how DNA is organized in eukaryotic cells.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 7, 2024
Reddick had to hold the front through the elevated, switchback left hand turn that saw the field bunch up and smash each other time after time on the restarts.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 26, 2023
For the actual step, Rakshith chose a jiglike routine known as a hook step, with lots of switchback movements for arms and legs.
From New York Times ● Feb. 21, 2023
The road up Coalwood Mountain turned through one steeply inclined switchback after another.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
