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
Synonyms
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
Harry Holzer, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
But recent layoffs across a number of industries have shown that the balance of power between employee and employer today is, at best, a constantly tilting seesaw.
—Tribune News Service, Boston Herald, 7 Mar. 2024
Samantha Subin,alex Harring, CNBC, 20 Nov. 2024
The simile is novel and yet the sort of thing a young woman would think; there is assonance and consonance seesawing across the sentence, which is slow and gorgeous rather than quick and thrilling.
—Joanna Biggs, Harper's Magazine, 2 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for seesaw 
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Noun
Over the past 4 months, payroll growth has followed a seesaw pattern - increasing 78,000 in August, 255,000 in September, 36,000 in October, and 227,000 in November.
—Harry Holzer, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
But recent layoffs across a number of industries have shown that the balance of power between employee and employer today is, at best, a constantly tilting seesaw.
—Tribune News Service, Boston Herald, 7 Mar. 2024
Verb
Shares seesawed after the company reported better-than-expected third-quarter results and issued strong guidance.
—Samantha Subin,alex Harring, CNBC, 20 Nov. 2024
The simile is novel and yet the sort of thing a young woman would think; there is assonance and consonance seesawing across the sentence, which is slow and gorgeous rather than quick and thrilling.
—Joanna Biggs, Harper's Magazine, 2 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for seesaw
Dictionary Entries Near seesaw
Cite this Entry
“Seesaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seesaw. Accessed 18 Jan. 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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