as in road
a route that has many sharp turns for climbing a steep hill
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Recent Examples of switchback
Travelers previously descended into the canyon along steep switchback roads prone to rockfalls or took long detours around the gorge, routes that added more than an hour to travel time.
—
Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Apr. 2026
The addition, which contains an atrium and a complex switchback stairway, seems to touch the older building at just one point.
—Fred A. Bernstein, Architectural Digest, 2 Apr. 2026
Layers of different rock merge, sometimes sharply, as switchbacks cut through a sequence of geological history.
—Rebecca 'becca' Dyer, AZCentral.com, 28 Mar. 2026
Enter a ravine and follow gradual switchbacks to a small mesa at the top.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for switchback
Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Apr. 2026
The addition, which contains an atrium and a complex switchback stairway, seems to touch the older building at just one point.
—Fred A. Bernstein, Architectural Digest, 2 Apr. 2026
Layers of different rock merge, sometimes sharply, as switchbacks cut through a sequence of geological history.
—Rebecca 'becca' Dyer, AZCentral.com, 28 Mar. 2026
Enter a ravine and follow gradual switchbacks to a small mesa at the top.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for switchback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for switchback
Noun
-
Following that road—with as much patience as your faith allows—does.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
The backstory There's not a single traffic light on the island, only one school for kindergarten through 12th grade, and 30 miles of paved roads—many lined with towering Cook Pine trees (resembling tall Christmas trees).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Williams happened to be passing by as the young dancer was pushing her car down the highway with a friend, and Williams along with his manager stopped to help and was quickly charmed.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
-
The backstory South America’s largest city sprawls as far as the eye can see with towers and highways, which explains how this part of town (not the most central) has become a hub for meetings.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
One of the trucks was carrying steel coils, which police said spilled onto the roadway.—
Elyssa Kaufman,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
-
The strong currents from flash floods can pull drivers off roadways.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, police officers conducted street searches of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers each year, the vast majority of whom were Black or Latino and had not committed a crime.—
Jason Zengerle,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
The surrounding community of Princeville is low key, with a few other hotels including a Westin and a Wyndham, and residential streets lined with homes and vacation rentals.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
That stands in contrast to I-580, farther north, where a ban on large trucks has been in place since before the freeway was even built.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
-
The space is colorful, playful and surprisingly quiet considering the adjacency to the freeway and Broadway.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The second was that rail lines be banned from the thoroughfare.—
Oren Peleg,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
-
Thousands of marchers flooded the thoroughfares of Venice to protest the presence of Israel at the Venice Biennale, with many national pavilions shuttering in solidarity.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
8 May 2026
Noun
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As transportation networks expanded—first with canals and turnpikes, and later with railroads—rural isolation began to fade.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
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Officials with the port authority confirmed that an object was struck and that a delivery truck on the turnpike at the time also was damaged.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 May 2026
Noun
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In November 2016, Santa Clara County voters approved Measure B, a 30-year, half-cent countywide sales tax to enhance transit, highways, expressways, and active transportation (bicycles, pedestrians, and complete streets).—
Phan Khang,
Mercury News,
18 May 2026
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These expressways would rapidly move large volumes of vehicles in and out of the central business district without using local roads.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Switchback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/switchback. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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