jaywalking

1 of 2

noun

jay·​walk·​ing ˈjā-ˌwȯ-kiŋ 

: the act of crossing a street in an illegal, careless, or unsafe manner

Sidewalks overflow with people during lunch and rush hours, intersections become clogged, and jaywalking is a Pittsburgh tradition.

—Joe Grata

—often used before another noun

jaywalking tickets

jaywalking laws

jaywalking

2 of 2

present participle of jaywalk

Examples of jaywalking in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Crimes like obstruction and jaywalking are rarely prosecuted, but often appear in cases against protesters, McNulty said. — Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 9 Sep. 2026

Many are relatively obvious, including not raising voices, littering, or jaywalking. — Catherine Heald, Travel + Leisure, 22 June 2026

On June 7, Fort Morgan police say Abade was cited for theft and jaywalking. — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 11 June 2026

The team who completed the 2021 project identified speeding, cut-through traffic, jaywalking, accessibility and the number of crashes as issues along the corridor, the report said. — Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 2 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

jaywalker, jay walker (see jaywalk) + -ing entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1910, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for jaywalking

• restocking
• sleepwalking
• unlocking
• blocking
• calking
• caulking
• chalking
• clocking
• cocking
• docking
• flocking
• gawking