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Synonyms

toggle

American  
[tog-uhl] / ˈtɒg əl /

noun

  1. a pin, bolt, or rod placed transversely through a chain, an eye or loop in a rope, etc., as to bind it temporarily to another chain or rope similarly treated.

  2. a toggle joint, or a device having one.

  3. an ornamental, rod-shaped button for inserting into a large buttonhole, loop, or frog, used especially on sports clothes.

  4. Theater.

    1. Also called toggle rail.  a wooden batten across the width of a flat, for strengthening the frame.

    2. Also called toggle iron.  a metal device for fastening a toggle rail to a frame.

verb (used with object)

toggled, toggling

  1. to furnish with a toggle.

  2. to bind or fasten with a toggle.

  3. Informal. to turn, twist, or manipulate a toggle switch; dial or turn the switch of (an appliance).

    He toggled the TV between the baseball game and the news.
toggle British  
/ ˈtɒɡəl /

noun

  1. a wooden peg or metal rod fixed crosswise through an eye at the end of a rope, chain, or cable, for fastening temporarily by insertion through an eye in another rope, chain, etc

  2. a wooden or plastic bar-shaped button inserted through a loop for fastening

  3. a pin inserted into a nautical knot to keep it secure

  4. machinery a toggle joint or a device having such a joint

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (tr) to supply or fasten with a toggle or toggles

  2. computing to switch to a different option, view, application, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • toggler noun

Etymology

Origin of toggle

First recorded in 1760–70; perhaps variant of tackle

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.

What’s changed in that toggle between litigating and organizing and some of the other stuff that you do from Trump 1.0 to 2.0?

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

Cursor’s tool allows users to toggle between different AI models, from OpenAI to Anthropic to Google and more.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 13, 2025

The next minute, the dads toggle their attention between the discussion and an impromptu game of catch between the kids and a heavy toy.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2025

Those aged 16 to 18 will be able to toggle off default safety settings like having their account set to private.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2025

Wilson says that we toggle back and forth between our conscious and unconscious modes of thinking, depending on the situation.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

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.