Zip — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈzip/

Meaning & Definition of Zip

Zip (verb)

  1. to move, act, or function with speed and vigor
  2. to travel with a sharp hissing or humming sound
  3. to impart speed or force to
  4. to close or open with or as if with a zipper
  5. to enclose or wrap by fastening a zipper
  6. to cause (a zipper) to open or shut
  7. to compress (one or more computer files) to a smaller size or into a single file by removing redundant information

Zip (noun)

  1. a sudden sharp hissing or sibilant sound
  2. energy, vim
  3. nothing, zero
  4. zipper
  5. zip code

Zip (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. active strength of body or mind

    "he has surprising zip for a man his age"

    similar: beans, bounce, brio, dash, drive, dynamism, energy, esprit, gas, get-up-and-go, ginger, go, gusto, hardihood, juice, life, moxie, oomph, pep, punch, sap, snap, starch, verve, vigor, vim, vinegar, vitality, zing
    related: animal spirits, animation, briskness, jauntiness, liveliness, snappiness, spirit, spiritedness, sprightliness, spunk, spunkiness, vibrance, vibrancy, vivaciousness, vivacity, ardor, élan, fervor, fire, passion, zeal, main, metal, mettle, might, muscle, potency, power, puissance, stamina, strength, brawniness, fitness, hardiness, huskiness, sturdiness, virility, health, healthiness, soundness, verdure, wellness
    opposite: lethargy, listlessness, sluggishness, torpidity
    near: indolence, laziness, debilitation, debility, delicacy, disablement, enfeeblement, faintness, feebleness, frailness, frailty, impotence, impotency, infirmity, powerlessness, puniness, slightness, softness, tenderness, weakness, enervation, exhaustion, inanition, prostration

  2. the numerical symbol 0 or the absence of number or quantity represented by it

    "I've got zip as far as new ideas go"

    similar: aught, cipher, goose egg, naught, nil, nothing, o, oh, zero, zilch
    related: blank, void

Zip (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound

    "a dragonfly zipped by my ear"

    similar: bumble, burr, buzz, drone, hum, whir, whish, whiz, zoom
    related: chirr, churr, thrum, fizz, hiss, murmur, purr, rustle, sigh, sizzle, swish, whisper, coo, curr, wheeze, whistle, whoosh

  2. to make an irregular series of quick, sudden movements

    "the fly zipped around the room, trying to find a way to the outside"

    similar: dance, dart, flick, flicker, flirt, flit, flitter, flutter
    related: dash, fly, sail, shoot, speed, sprint, zing, zoom, scamper, scud, scurry, scuttle, skip, skitter, meander, ramble, roam, wander
    near: float, hang, hover

  3. to proceed or move quickly

    "knowing that she was already late, she went zipping off to meet her next client"

    similar: barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bomb (slang), bowl, breeze, bundle, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, career, chase, course, crack (on), dash, drive, fly, hare, hasten, hie, highball, hotfoot (it), hump, hurl, hurry, hurtle, hustle, jet, jump, motor, nip, pelt, race, ram, rip, rocket, run, rush, rustle, scoot, scurry, scuttle, shoot, speed, step, tear, travel, trot, whirl, whisk, zoom, beat it, get a move on, make tracks, shake a leg, step on it
    related: beetle, dart, flit, scamper, scud, scuffle, stampede, streak, whiz, gallop, jog, sprint, accelerate, quicken, step out, catch up, fast-forward, outpace, outrun, outstrip, overtake, arrow, beeline
    opposite: crawl, creep, poke
    near: dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, hang (around or out), lag, linger, loiter, poke, tarry, amble, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stroll, decelerate, slow (down or up)

Related Entry: Zip (up) (verb)

Zip (up) is a different word from Zip. The synonyms below are for zip (up), not for zip.

  1. to give life, vigor, or spirit to

    "the newscaster asked the writer if there was a way to zip up the story a little"

    similar: amp (up), animate, brace, energize, enliven, fillip, fire, ginger (up), invigorate, jazz (up), juice up, jump-start, liven (up), pep (up), quicken, spike, stimulate, vitalize, vivify
    related: arouse, awake, awaken, raise, rouse, stir, wake (up), activate, actuate, drive, impel, motivate, motive, move, propel, charge, electrify, galvanize, enkindle, excite, ferment, foment, incite, inflame, instigate, kindle, provoke, set off, spark, trigger, turn on, whip (up), abet, boost, buoy, cheer, embolden, fortify, hearten, infuse, inspire, lift, rally, steel, strengthen, reactivate, reanimate, reawake, reawaken, recharge, recreate, reenergize, refresh, refreshen, regenerate, reinvigorate, rejuvenate, rekindle, renew, restimulate, resurrect, resuscitate, revitalize, revive
    opposite: damp, dampen, deaden, dull, kill
    near: burn out, debilitate, do in, drain, enervate, enfeeble, exhaust, fag, fatigue, harass, kayo, knock out, sap, tucker (out), undermine, wash out, weaken, wear, wear out, weary, check, curb, inhibit, jade, quell, quench, repress, restrain, slow, still, stunt, suppress, daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit

Related Entry: Zip gun (noun)

Zip gun is a different word from Zip. The synonyms below are for zip gun, not for zip.

  1. as in handgun, pistol

    similar: derringer, forty-five, gat (slang), handgun, pistol, revolver, rod (slang), roscoe (slang), sidearm, six-gun, six-shooter, arm, firearm, gun, heat (slang), piece, small arm, self-loader, semiautomatic, blunderbuss, breechloader, culverin, fieldpiece, firelock, flintlock, harquebus, matchlock, musket, rifle, shotgun, smoothbore, twenty-two, AK-47, assault rifle, assault weapon, automatic, carbine, machine gun, machine pistol, repeater, submachine gun, tommy gun, speargun

Related Entry: Zip guns (noun)

Zip guns is a different word from Zip. The synonyms below are for zip guns, not for zip.

  1. as in handguns, pistols

    similar: derringers, forty-fives, gats (slang), handguns, pistols, revolvers, rods (slang), roscoes (slang), sidearms, six-guns, six-shooters, arms, firearms, guns, heat (slang), pieces, small arms, self-loaders, semiautomatics, blunderbusses, breechloaders, culverins, fieldpieces, firelocks, flintlocks, harquebuses, matchlocks, muskets, rifles, shotguns, smoothbores, twenty-twos, AK-47s, assault rifles, assault weapons, automatics, carbines, machine guns, machine pistols, repeaters, submachine guns, tommy guns, spearguns

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Zip

The most common words with a similar meaning to Zip:

Slang: bomb
beans, bounce, brio, dash, drive, dynamism, energy, esprit, gas, get-up-and-go, ginger, go, gusto, hardihood, juice, life, moxie, oomph, pep, punch, sap, snap, starch, verve, vigor, vim, vinegar, vitality, zing, aught, cipher, goose egg, naught, nil, nothing, o, oh, zero, zilch, bumble

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Zip

Words with the opposite meaning of Zip:

lethargy, listlessness, sluggishness, torpidity, crawl, creep, poke

Related Words for Zip

animal spirits, animation, briskness, jauntiness, liveliness, snappiness, spirit, spiritedness, sprightliness, spunk, spunkiness, vibrance, vibrancy, vivaciousness, vivacity, ardor, élan, fervor, fire, passion, zeal, main, metal, mettle, might, muscle, potency, power, puissance, stamina

Near Antonyms of Zip

indolence, laziness, debilitation, debility, delicacy, disablement, enfeeblement, faintness, feebleness, frailness, frailty, impotence, impotency, infirmity, powerlessness, puniness, slightness, softness, tenderness, weakness, enervation, exhaustion, inanition, prostration, float, hang, hover, dally, dawdle, dillydally

Word Forms of Zip

Inflections: zipped, zipping, zips

Derived words: zipless (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Zip

imitative of the sound of a speeding object

First known use: 1852i

Words & Phrases Containing Zip

zip code, zip-code, zip fastener

Frequently Asked Questions about Zip

What does "Zip" mean?

"Zip" means to move, act, or function with speed and vigor. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to move, act, or function with speed and vigor. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Zip"?

Other words for "Zip" include beans, bounce, brio, dash, drive, dynamism, energy and esprit. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Zip" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Zip"?

There are 199 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Zip". Common alternatives include beans, bounce, brio, dash, drive, dynamism, energy, esprit, gas and get-up-and-go.

What is the opposite of "Zip"?

Antonyms of "Zip" include lethargy, listlessness, sluggishness, torpidity, crawl, creep and poke. Near antonyms include indolence, laziness, debilitation and debility.

How do you use "Zip" in a sentence?

Examples of "Zip" in a sentence: "he has surprising zip for a man his age"; "I've got zip as far as new ideas go"; "a dragonfly zipped by my ear".

Is "Zip" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Zip" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Zip"?

"Zip" is pronounced /ˈzip/.

What is the origin of the word "Zip"?

"Zip" comes from imitative of the sound of a speeding object. First known use: 1852i.