as in road
a route that has many sharp turns for climbing a steep hill
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Recent Examples of switchback
Layers of different rock merge, sometimes sharply, as switchbacks cut through a sequence of geological history.
—
Rebecca 'becca' Dyer, AZCentral.com, 28 Mar. 2026
Whether such switchbacks would make the walk to the stadium longer or shorter than the current path remains to be determined.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
Enter a ravine and follow gradual switchbacks to a small mesa at the top.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
The best hiking pants earn their place in our packing list the hard way—through scree scrambles, sweaty switchbacks, and the kind of bushwhacking that tests each and every seam.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for switchback
Rebecca 'becca' Dyer, AZCentral.com, 28 Mar. 2026
Whether such switchbacks would make the walk to the stadium longer or shorter than the current path remains to be determined.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
Enter a ravine and follow gradual switchbacks to a small mesa at the top.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
The best hiking pants earn their place in our packing list the hard way—through scree scrambles, sweaty switchbacks, and the kind of bushwhacking that tests each and every seam.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for switchback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for switchback
Noun
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That’s the road in a banana republic to high or even hyperinflation.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
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The wildfires burning tens of thousands of acres in the South have destroyed homes, prompted evacuations and closed major roads.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Route 66 became official when the country adopted the numbered highway system in November of that year.—
Audrey Pachuta,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
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Mexican authorities last summer found 20 bodies, including several that were decapitated and four that were left hanging from a bridge over a highway, that appeared to be victims of a turf war between the Chapitos and rival Sinaloa faction La Mayiza.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Several roadways in the immediate area were temporarily closed, but no evacuations were ordered, Kane said.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
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The strong currents from flash floods can pull drivers off roadways.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In the streets of Washington, word of the alarming development spread through discussions with rideshare drivers and in the overheard comments of tuxedoed attendees who blurted out comments in smartphone conversations while walking away from the original site of the dinner.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
26 Apr. 2026
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For older students walking to school, encourage them to take a safe route with adult crossing guards, travel in pairs or groups, and to not use cellphones while crossing the street.—
Dr. Phyllis Agran,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The road at that point includes an exit to the right for the 57 freeway south and under the 210.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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The work is part of a larger MnDOT project to resurface I-35W and either repair or replace bridges along the freeway between Cliff Road and the I-35E/I-35W split.—
Kristi Miller,
Twin Cities,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Some of these thoroughfares are decidedly more visit-worthy than others, and USA Today recently deemed one main street the best in the county.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Apr. 2026
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Her house sits on Palmer Road, a busy thoroughfare.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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People line up outside the Dark Horse, Boulder's longtime bar and burger joint just off the turnpike on Baseline Road, on March 12, 2026, in Colorado.—
Sarah Horbacewicz,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
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The monthly meeting of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority came to stop as the Oklahoma Highway Patrol officers, turnpike superintendents and state legislators in the audience lofted their Red Solo cups in a toast.—
Brandy McDonnell,
Oklahoman,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Steel, concrete, traffic jams, and expressways occupy the greens where some of Miami’s earliest golfers played.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
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Homicide data from the Illinois State Police, which patrols the city’s expressways, also is not included here.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Switchback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/switchback. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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