zig
v.v. to move suddenly in one direction before quickly changing to another. You often use this word when describing a sharp turn or a sudden change in a plan.
v. to perform a sudden, sharp change in direction or strategy, typically as part of a zigzag pattern. Often used intransitively to describe physical movement or metaphorical shifts in decision-making.
The rabbit started to zig and zag to escape the fox.
When the market crashed, the investor decided to zig while everyone else was zagging by buying undervalued stocks.
The pilot had to zig sharply to avoid the oncoming storm clouds, demonstrating the aircraft's impressive agility at high altitudes.
Back-formation from zigzag. Compare zag.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Often paired with 'zag' to describe a repetitive back-and-forth motion; functions as an intransitive verb.
Last updated May 9, 2026