# zag

/ˈzæɡ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/zag
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. a sharp turn

noun · CEFR B2

one single sharp turn in a series of turns that go back and forth.

For teachers: a single sharp turn or reversal of direction, typically forming one part of a zigzag pattern.

- The path had a sharp zig followed by an even sharper zag.
- The mountain trail was a series of zigs and zags that made the steep ascent manageable for the hikers.

### 2. to turn sharply

verb · CEFR B2

to make a sudden turn or change direction quickly.

For teachers: to move with a sudden, sharp change in direction, often to avoid an obstacle or as part of an alternating pattern.

- The rabbit started to zig and zag across the field to escape the fox.
- The jet began to zag violently to avoid the incoming radar detection, banking hard against the clouds.

Usage: The verb is intransitive and does not take a direct object.

## Examples

- The driver made a sharp zag to avoid the car in front.
- After years of focusing on the domestic market, the company made a sudden zag into international expansion.
- The hiker's path was a series of sharp zags through the dense forest, designed to avoid the steep inclines that dominated the central ridge.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.