as in roads
a route that has many sharp turns for climbing a steep hill
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Recent Examples of switchbacks
That’s because runners have frequently taken shortcuts and deviations that cut the swooping switchbacks near the peak’s base.
—
Frederick Dreier, Outside, 12 Sep. 2025
The road is primarily made of gravel and includes switchbacks and a speed limit of just 15 mph.
—Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 7 Oct. 2024
The trail ascends to its high point on long switchbacks that ease the climb and maximize scenic views.
—Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 4 Oct. 2024
Near the Tennessee state line, crews were finally starting to reach side roads after clearing the main roads winding through switchbacks, but that brought a new set of challenges.
—Jeff Amy, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2024
Frederick Dreier, Outside, 12 Sep. 2025
The road is primarily made of gravel and includes switchbacks and a speed limit of just 15 mph.
—Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 7 Oct. 2024
The trail ascends to its high point on long switchbacks that ease the climb and maximize scenic views.
—Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 4 Oct. 2024
Near the Tennessee state line, crews were finally starting to reach side roads after clearing the main roads winding through switchbacks, but that brought a new set of challenges.
—Jeff Amy, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for switchbacks
Noun
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Red and white English flags have proliferated along streets and been painted on roads.—
Vitalii Yalahuzian,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
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Nothing better than putting down the top and driving beautiful roads just after the rain stops and the air is powerfully charged by the nearby ocean, scrubbed clean.—
Mark Ewing,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Like highways before them, these assets require major upfront investment, deliver stable cash flows over decades, and serve as essential enablers of growth.—
Maurice Obeid,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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Here's your daily look at traffic on major highways in the Kansas City area.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Just this morning, DHS took violent offenders off the streets with arrests for assault, DUI, and felony stalking.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
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What’s most inspiring about these showings of texture on the streets of New York fashion week is that more times than not, Black women are not widely embraced in all of their glory to live in their textures during these occasions.—
Essence,
Essence,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The strong currents from flash floods can pull drivers off roadways.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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The strong currents from flash floods can pull drivers off roadways.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Waymos have been driving freeways with no safety driver for some time now, but service is limited to Alphabet employees and empty vehicles.—
Brad Templeton,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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However, at the time the area was rapidly changing as new homes were built and freeways constructed.—
Carolyn Burt,
Oc Register,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The experience ends at a vineyard table set between rows of Cabernet, where two vintages are paired with gourmet cheeses.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The photo, shared to the r/Weird community, shows two distinct sets of small prints, eerily human-like, with long fingers, smudged onto a black shelf beneath rows of art and history books.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Residents have told the Riverworks Development Corporation that many trucks use neighborhood roads instead of sticking to West Vienna Avenue and North Third Street, which are the two thoroughfares bordering the warehouse.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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The main thoroughfares, Bridge Street and Castlebar Street, are lined with homegrown shops, cafés, and pubs situated in historic buildings.—
Shivani Vora,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The Glória Funicular route is short but steep, beginning at the Praça dos Restauradores station in Baixa, right beside Avenida da Liberdade, one of Lisbon's grand boulevards.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
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Sofia rests on ancient Roman ruins—its skyline pierced by golden Orthodox domes, leafy parks, and boulevards humming with espresso cafés and bookstalls.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Switchbacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/switchbacks. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
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