〰️ A wavy line ↔️ To move side-to-side 〰️ With sharp turns

zigzag

3.4

Having sharp turns that go first one way then the other

adjective
/ˈzɪɡˌzæɡ/

: en zigzag

Seesaw, you don't know like that obviously and zigzag like this.

These are the really high, like zigzag waves, right?

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Examples

I am piping chocolate onto the cookies and I'm doing sort of a fun zigzag design.
So it's only half the thickness is the zigzag and the rest is straight.
These are the really high, like zigzag waves, right?

Clark Kegley
I'm getting I'm going to have this, this zigzag is huh, that wasn't too bad.
The children ran in a zigzag pattern as they played tag in the park.
The road ahead was a zigzag route, winding through the mountains.
She painted the wall with a zigzag pattern of bright colors.

Synonyms

zigzaggy

vszigzag

Informal

5.4

A road or line with many sharp turns that goes left then right

has the same meaning but is the more common root form

Antonyms

straight

∞ 1.0

In a direct line without turning

Compounds

zigzag goldenrod

9.8

A North American plant with zigzag stems and small yellow flowers in woodlands

How Winding

zigzag

3.4

wavy

16 1.3

curving

2.5

straight

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

zigzag positive

zigzagged comparative

zigzagging superlative

Morphology

zigzag = zig + zag (transparent) = zig + zag

Compound of two alternating-movement elements ('zig' + 'zag'); the combined meaning of alternating sharp turns follows directly from the parts.

Etymology

Zigzag comes from the two quick sounds zig and zag, which copy sharp turns, so something described as 'side to side' with sudden angles is called zigzag.