zag

American  

[zag] / zæg /

verb (used without object)

zagged, zagging

1. to move in one of the two directions followed in a zigzag course.

   First we zigged, then we zagged, trying to avoid the bull.

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Usage

What does zag mean? Zag is an informal verb that means to move in one of the directions in a zigzag pattern.A zigzag is a line of alternating, sharp up-and-down turns that form peaks and valleys kind of resembling the letter Z. Zigzag can also be used as a verb meaning to move back and forth while traveling forward in a way that resembles this pattern.The word zig can be used to mean the same thing as zag. However, the two terms are typically used together, in which case they mean to move in opposite directions. This is usually used in a somewhat humorous way.Zig and zag are most commonly used in the context of physical movement, but they are sometimes used in situations in which people keep doing different things, such as when changing their minds back and forth.Example: I threw the ball where I said I was going to throw it, but you zigged when you should have zagged!

Etymology

Origin of zag

First recorded in 1785–95; extracted from zigzag

Example Sentences

There was a simple reason why Lloyd decided to zag where everyone else in college hoops was zigging.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

"This is not about somebody coming out, it's about two people figuring out they are allowed to be in love. And that zig where the other books zag really stuck with me."

From BBC • Jan. 7, 2026

Located in Silver Lake, Spesh strives to zag while everyone is zigging, said Jake Kroeger, one of the producers behind the alternative comedy troupe.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 15, 2025

With most of the financial world emphatically zigging one way, the artificial-intelligence way, India’s zag could prove welcome in 2026.

From Barron's • Dec. 11, 2025

As we zag along, I practice with my sling, missing eighteen times out of twenty.

From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George