zigzag

American  

[zig-zag] / ˈzɪgˌzæg /

noun

1. a line, course, or progression characterized by sharp turns first to one side and then to the other.

2. one of a series of such turns, as in a line or path.

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adjective

1. proceeding or formed in a zigzag.

   zigzag stitches.

adverb

1. with frequent sharp turns from side to side; in a zigzag manner.

   The child ran zigzag along the beach.

verb (used with object)

zigzagged, zigzagging

1. to make (something) zigzag, as in form or course; move or maneuver (something) in a zigzag direction.

   They zigzagged their course to confuse the enemy.

verb (used without object)

zigzagged, zigzagging

1. to proceed in a zigzag line or course.

zigzag British  

/ ˈzɪɡˌzæɡ /

noun

1. a line or course characterized by sharp turns in alternating directions

2. one of the series of such turns

3. something having the form of a zigzag

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adjective

1. (usually prenominal) formed in or proceeding in a zigzag

2. (of sewing machine stitches) produced in a zigzag by a swing needle used for joining stretch fabrics, neatening raw edges, etc

adverb

1. in a zigzag manner

verb

1. to proceed or cause to proceed in a zigzag

2. (tr) to form into a zigzag

Usage

What does zigzag mean? A zigzag is a line of alternating, sharp up-and-down turns that form peaks and valleys kind of resembling the letter Z.[caption id="attachment_172305" align="alignnone" width="300"] Getty Images. A pattern of zigzags.[/caption]As a noun, zigzag can also refer to a route or path that resembles this kind of pattern, as in The dragonfly moved through the air in a zigzag. Zigzag can also be used as a verb meaning to move back and forth while traveling forward in a way that resembles this pattern, as in The dragonfly zigzagged through the air. As a verb, zigzag is most commonly used in the context of physical movement, but it can be used in situations in which people keep doing different things, such as changing their minds. A much more common term for this is flip-flop. It is also used as an adjective in phrases like zigzag pattern. In sewing, a zigzag stitch is a type of stitch that can be made by a sewing machine, such as to finish the edges of a garment. Some sewing machines use an attachment called a zigzagger to make such stitches. Example: Some animals, like the hare, move in a zigzag pattern when escaping predators, making it harder for them to be caught.

Other Word Forms

• zigzaggedness noun
• zigzagger noun

Etymology

Origin of zigzag

1705–15; < French; replacing earlier ziczac < French < German zickzack, gradational compound based on Zacke tack ¹

Explanation

The word zigzag describes the shape of a line. A line drawn in a zigzag shape makes a lot of short, sharp turns. The letter Z is a zigzag itself, and a thunderbolt is also often represented as a zigzag. The first turn a zigzag line makes is called a zig, and the second is called the zag. Zigzag can also be a verb. If you're describing how you got lost in the desert, you might say, "I meant to go straight, but then I zigged, and then I zagged." Serpentine describes a line that curves, but the curves are rounded (like a serpent), not short and sharp like a zigzag.

Example Sentences

The development and adoption of AI may not go straight from point A to point B. It may very well zigzag, just as the internet economy did.

From Barron's • Dec. 24, 2025

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.—It was like a scene out of a movie: a pair of white Jaguars zipping through a two-lane tunnel, changing lanes at the same time in a zigzag formation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 3, 2025

Don’t zigzag from incident to incident or from regret to regret.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 2, 2025

Police cars formed a zigzag in the driveway.

From Salon • May 29, 2025

The Acorn tacked a zigzag route through the water, searching for where the fish were plentiful.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood