slalom

1 of 2

noun

sla·​lom ˈslä-ləm 

often attributive

1

: skiing in a zigzag or wavy course between upright obstacles (such as flags)

2

: a timed race (as on skis or in an automobile or kayak) over a winding or zigzag course past a series of flags or markers

broadly : movement over a zigzag route

slalom

2 of 2

verb

slalomed; slaloming; slaloms

intransitive verb

: to move over a zigzag course in or as if in a slalom

Synonyms

Verb

• dodge
• duck
• jink
• sidestep
• weave
• zigzag

Examples of slalom in a Sentence

Verb

slalomed through the crowd with the ease of an Olympic skier

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Shiffrin won gold in the slalom at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. —Zack Pierce, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025

Softball and canoe slalom will take place in Oklahoma City, which already boasts world-class facilities for those sports. —Diane Brady, Fortune, 4 Dec. 2024

Verb

Less than 30 seconds after Sherwood’s goal, Pettersson slalomed into the Sharks’ zone off the rush and feathered an east-west pass across to Jake DeBrusk. —Harman Dayal, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024

The midfielder is most well known for his slaloming runs through midfield but these loans have sought to expose him to the physical aspects of senior football. —Art De Roché, The Athletic, 21 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Norwegian slalåm, literally, sloping track

First Known Use

Noun

1921, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1932, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing slalom

• giant slalom

Kids Definition

slalom

noun

sla·​lom

ˈsläl-əm

1

: skiing in a zigzag or wavy course between upright poles

2

: a timed skiing race over such a course