zip

1 of 6

verb (1)

zipped; zipping; zips

intransitive verb

1
: to move, act, or function with speed and vigor
2
: to travel with a sharp hissing or humming sound

transitive verb

1
: to impart speed or force to
2
: to add zest, interest, or life to
often used with up
3
: to transport or propel with speed

zip

2 of 6

noun (1)

1
: a sudden sharp hissing or sibilant sound
2
: energy, vim
zipless adjective

zip

3 of 6

noun (2)

: nothing, zero
the final score was 27 to zip

zip

4 of 6

noun (3)

chiefly British
: zipper

zip

5 of 6

verb (2)

zipped; zipping; zips

transitive verb

1
a
: to close or open with or as if with a zipper
b
: to enclose or wrap by fastening a zipper
2
: to cause (a zipper) to open or shut

intransitive verb

: to become open, closed, or attached by means of a zipper

zip

6 of 6

noun (4)

often all capitalized

Examples of zip in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
But Take Note That cool, colorful zipper is prone to get stuck on the fabric when zipping. Casey Clark, Parents, 5 Mar. 2024 White had no idea that 10 years later the homes belonging to the neighbors to his left would be demolished or moved, or that his front door would be just feet away from an embankment that led up to zipping automobiles. Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2024 Scribble away, then send those notes zipping to your smart device with a quick snap. Anna Smoot, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2024 Gomes recalled one flat-ground throwing session at Dodger Stadium last month in which — in stark contrast to Buehler’s inconsistent performances near the end of last season — the ball was zipping out of the former Cy Young Award contender’s hand. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2024 The video, posted by Michael Fischer to YouTube, shows two skiers zip down the slope at Dutches Draw, Conehead, on Saturday, Feb. 17. Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 20 Feb. 2024 Chiefs flags flutter on car windows zipping down highways. Julie Bosman, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2024 Another time Siakam was grabbing a defensive rebound, going 80 feet and zipping a pass to Buddy Hield for a corner 3-pointer. Gregg Doyel, The Indianapolis Star, 26 Jan. 2024 The fun parts were zipping back and forth between the mixer and my laptop, where Rich and Co. were recording The Editors, and then letting the dough proof in the sunshine spilling over my bedroom floor (a cheaper option than heating up the oven). Sarah Schutte, National Review, 11 Feb. 2024
Noun
Kid-friendly features Kids will love the dedicated children's pool and Mayan-pyramid water playground, while teens can enjoy activities like rock climbing and zip lining. Karen Cicero, Parents, 8 Mar. 2024 This handy Amazon set comes with eight different-sized zip pouches, with the largest measuring at 15.6 inches by 11.2 inches and the smallest at 5.4 inches by 3.8 inches. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 6 Mar. 2024 The boots with zips that can be worn to the knee or to the ankle are bound to sell out. Luke Leitch, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2024 His favorite thing to do is hop on a little golf cart and zip around the festival, greeting visitors and meeting artists. Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 14 Feb. 2024 The outside has a front zip pocket, two side slip pockets, and one top slip pocket for frequently grabbed airport items, like your passport, cell phone, and plane ticket. Ali Faccenda, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2024 Actor and Grammy winner Ice-T walks onto the set of EW’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit cover shoot in a suit and bow tie that would make his character Fin, famous for his Gucci quarter zips and Adidas sneakers, laugh. Alex Ross, EW.com, 5 Feb. 2024 Give it a little zip with the hot sauce of your choice. Julia Levy, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2024 Go zip lining at The Gorge, called the steepest and fastest zip line in the United States. Melissa Oyler, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'zip.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

imitative of the sound of a speeding object

Noun (2)

origin unknown

Verb (2)

back-formation from zipper

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1852, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1862, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

circa 1900, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1925, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1925, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (4)

1962, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of zip was in 1852

Dictionary Entries Near zip

Cite this Entry

“Zip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zip. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

zip

1 of 5 verb
zipped; zipping
1
: to move or act with speed and energy
2
: to travel with a sharp hissing or humming sound
3
: to add energy, interest, or life to
often used with up

zip

2 of 5 noun
1
: a sudden sharp hissing sound
2
: vim, energy

zip

3 of 5 verb
zipped; zipping
: to close or open with a zipper

zip

4 of 5 noun
: zero entry 1 sense 1
won the game 7–zip

zip

5 of 5 noun
often capitalized Z&I&P
Etymology

Verb

a word created to imitate the sound of an object speeding past

Verb

from zipper

Noun

origin unknown

More from Merriam-Webster on zip

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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