as in roads
a route that has many sharp turns for climbing a steep hill
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Recent Examples of switchbacks
On straight paths, tracking is solid, but switchbacks and dense forests increase the risk of losing sight of the subject—or clipping a tree.
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Graham Averill, Outside, 1 Jan. 2026
Before teeing it up, we were required to sign a waiver to play the unconventional 18-hole short course, a nod to its cliff-hugging switchbacks and a maze of showy cart path water crossings.
—T.j. Olwig, Travel + Leisure, 26 Dec. 2025
The lawyers said others pursuing the Grand Teton Fastest Known Time also cut out switchbacks using the Old Climber’s Trail.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 12 Nov. 2025
Within half a mile, my longtime friend Danny Sadleir and I were pushing our bikes up the rocky switchbacks leading away from the trail’s northern terminus at the Utah border to make our way south up Buckskin Mountain toward the Kaibab Plateau.
—Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Tour on Two Wheels Bikers can catch a thrill nearby, where almost 40 miles of switchbacks on the Upper Buffalo Mountain Bike Trail trace their way through the highest points in the Ozarks.
—Katie Strasberg Rousso, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2025
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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There was so much snow that winter that ski resorts around Lake Tahoe had to close for days at a time to dig out chair lifts and clear roads.—
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The last two years, the weather has been brutal in January -- the snow and the bad roads.—
Noun
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Here's your daily look at traffic on major highways in the Kansas City area.—
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Most automakers limit self-driving features in personal vehicles to highways, where traffic patterns are more predictable.—
Noun
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Their midweight thickness offers enough cushion for miles of walking through the streets of New York City, without causing sweat.—
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This tragedy is the result of the administration sending federal agents onto our streets against the wishes of local law enforcement, including our respected Police Chief Brian O'Hara.—
Noun
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Earlier in the day, Interstate 696 was hit with many cars that were stuck in the same spot while the snow continued to accumulate on the roadways.—
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Crews continue to work in the crash site around Grade Lane, just south of Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, hauling away contaminated soil, purifying water and repairing roadways.—
Noun
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In Arizona, our driving laws are influenced by factors like busy freeways in metro Phoenix, monsoon season flooding, outdated transportation modes and distracted driving laws.—
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Since then, many areas near freeways have been cleared of tents and dozens of individuals did receive some form of shelter.—
Noun
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Past the neon lights of the midway and rows of food vendors, find the heart and history of the South Florida Fair — the agriculture area.—
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Videos appearing to show rows of body bags of those killed in Iran have emerged as anti-regime protests across the Islamic Republic stretch into a third week.—
Noun
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Charlotte has a backlog of sidewalk projects stretching across more than 250 miles of thoroughfares.—
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Big changes are coming to parts of Flatbush Avenue, one of Brooklyn's most congested thoroughfares, as New York City moves forward with a major bus lane redesign aimed at speeding up commutes and improving safety.—
Noun
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On April 23, Sant Jordi’s Day fills the boulevards with books and roses.—
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The commercial center at the corner of Alhambra and Stockton boulevards — where The Sacramento Bee’s offices are now — was once a cannery operated by Libby, McNeill & Libby.—
Cite this Entry
“Switchbacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/switchbacks. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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