as in road
a route that has many sharp turns for climbing a steep hill
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Recent Examples of switchback
This eight-mile round trip hike starts in a sitka spruce forest on boardwalks before hitting switchbacks down to the beach itself.
—
Graham Averill, Outside Online, 29 May 2025
The Raccoon River makes a lazy entrance into Des Moines, completing its journey from northwest Iowa in a series of graceful switchbacks through an urban park, its olive surface shaded by locust trees and towering cottonwoods.
—Dave Hage, Literary Hub, 27 May 2025
Expect to get your burn on early, with the heart-pumping Walter’s Wiggles, a series of 21 switchbacks that drop you at Scout Overlook, where the Angels Landing ascent begins.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2025
The switchback was revealed at the company’s upfront presentation in Manhattan.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for switchback
Graham Averill, Outside Online, 29 May 2025
The Raccoon River makes a lazy entrance into Des Moines, completing its journey from northwest Iowa in a series of graceful switchbacks through an urban park, its olive surface shaded by locust trees and towering cottonwoods.
—Dave Hage, Literary Hub, 27 May 2025
Expect to get your burn on early, with the heart-pumping Walter’s Wiggles, a series of 21 switchbacks that drop you at Scout Overlook, where the Angels Landing ascent begins.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2025
The switchback was revealed at the company’s upfront presentation in Manhattan.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for switchback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for switchback
Noun
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On the flip-side, the World Health Organization cites traffic noise such as road, rail and air traffic as the second most important cause of ill health in western Europe behind air pollution.—
Daisy Jones,
Vogue,
15 July 2025
-
Torrential rains caused travel delays throughout the city, flooding subways and roads and delaying flights at JFK, Laguardia and Newark airports.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
Videos taken outside the St. Louis Lambert International Airport on Sunday shows travelers waiting in lines extending to the highway.—
Colson Thayer,
People.com,
15 July 2025
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There are red arrows drawn on photos of chain link fences and drab village streets, warning me not to go left at the soccer field, but bear right across the highway.—
Rebecca Chace
July 14,
Literary Hub,
14 July 2025
Noun
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Flash flooding currents are strong and can sweep drivers off roadways.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
21 July 2025
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Police said Lanahan’s car then re-entered the roadway out of control and struck a 2021 Honda CR-V EX that was traveling eastbound on Route 82 head-on.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
20 July 2025
Noun
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The Double Log Cabin location was met with concerns from area residents about traffic and safety on surrounding rural and narrow streets such as Gwynn and Smith Roads.—
Andy Humbles,
The Tennessean,
26 July 2025
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Tristen Paige Smith, of Cincinnati, was killed in a July 21 shooting on Autumn Drive, a residential street in the city of over 9,000 residents, officials confirmed.—
Quinlan Bentley,
The Enquirer,
26 July 2025
Noun
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That should be enough for spirited riding through town and out on the freeway, given the T/TT's respective 443 lb (201 kg) and 447 lb (203 kg) weight figures.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 July 2025
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But, before Disneyland opened, Southern California’s biggest freeways didn’t yet reach deep into Orange County.—
Michael Slaten,
Oc Register,
13 July 2025
Noun
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Two summers ago, when torrential rains pounded Connecticut and caused widespread flooding, water gushed out of the lake beyond the existing dam on its way downstream, the culverts under Route 195 at full capacity, water coming close to flooding the main thoroughfare through campus.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
20 July 2025
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The largest of the lower-level shops (at 5,300 square feet) in the main retail thoroughfare, will offer books, souvenirs, toys, and to-go food and drink.—
Kevin Rozario,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
Noun
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Cranbury, New Jersey — Just steps off a busy road, tucked at the end of a gravel driveway within eyeshot of the New Jersey turnpike, a small herd of cows and goats grazes freely in a grassy, open field.—
Meena Duerson,
CNN Money,
24 July 2025
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When did scam turnpike texts in Ohio start? Ohio Turnpike toll payment scam texts started to appear more frequently on cell phones in April 2024.—
Mariyam Muhammad,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Noun
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Homicide data from the Illinois State Police, which patrols the city’s expressways, also is not included here.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
14 July 2025
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From an overhead view, the sight is somewhat jarring — a wide expressway and railroad track dividing the course essentially in half.—
Noah Trister,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Switchback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/switchback. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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