1
: an alternating up-and-down or backward-and-forward motion or movement
also
: a contest or struggle in which now one side now the other has the lead
2
a
: a pastime in which two children or groups of children ride on opposite ends of a plank balanced in the middle so that one end goes up as the other goes down
b
: the plank or apparatus so used
seesaw
adjective
seesawed; seesawing; seesaws
1
a
: to move backward and forward or up and down
b
: to play at seesaw
2
: alternate
seesaw between two activities
: to cause to move in seesaw fashion
Examples of seesaw in a Sentence
Noun
Their relationship was an emotional seesaw.
Verb
The lead seesawed between the two runners right up to the finish line.
as their boat seesawed in the rough water, the rescue team tried to get the passengers off the sinking ship
Recent Examples on the Web
Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
The last month of Trump’s first 100 days was characterized by a seesaw of blame, with the president expressing alternating between directing his public outrage at Putin and Zelensky.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 3 May 2025
Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 5 June 2025
The outlook for the U.K. has seesawed over the past year.
—Ganesh Rao,chloe Taylor, CNBC, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for seesaw
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Noun
That settling sort-of seesaw did manage to save ground out of the first turn, up the backside and into the far turn, a fact later cited and praised by trainer Michael McCarthy as contributing directly to the win.
—Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
The last month of Trump’s first 100 days was characterized by a seesaw of blame, with the president expressing alternating between directing his public outrage at Putin and Zelensky.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 3 May 2025
Verb
The president’s on-again-off-again tariffs — and the subsequent negotiations — have seesawed U.S. markets.
—Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 5 June 2025
The outlook for the U.K. has seesawed over the past year.
—Ganesh Rao,chloe Taylor, CNBC, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for seesaw
Cite this Entry
“Seesaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seesaw. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
seesaw
1 of 2 noun
see·saw
ˈsē-ˌsȯ 
1
a
: an up-and-down or backward-and-forward motion or movement
b
: a contest or struggle in which now one side now the other has the lead
2
a
: a game in which two children or groups of children ride on opposite ends of a plank balanced in the middle so that one end goes up as the other goes down
b
: the plank used in the game of seesaw
seesaw
adjective
seesaw
2 of 2 verb
seesawed; seesawing
1
: to move like a seesaw
2
: to play on a seesaw
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