How to Use jackknife in a Sentence

jackknife

1 of 2 noun
  • The collision caused the tractor-trailer to jackknife and hit a guardrail.
    — Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
  • The trailer of the truck turned sideways in jackknife fashion and was blocking all northbound lanes.
    — Aaron Valdez, The Enquirer, 20 Dec. 2024
  • All told, the Antidote is a one-board jackknife for advanced riders who like to ride fast and take chances.
    — Drew Zieff, Outside Online, 18 Oct. 2022
  • Although, his jackknife-cannonball form could also use some polishing as well.
    — Chris Kwiecinski, ajc, 30 Sep. 2017
  • In his video, Kirsch walks viewers through hanging knee raises, a medicine ball spiderman, jackknives, and a medicine ball slam.
    — SELF, 26 Oct. 2018
  • Meanwhile, deadbugs, jackknives, ab-wheel rollouts, and boat pose variations will hit both portions.
    — K. Aleisha Fetters, SELF, 4 July 2017
  • Nissan says the SUVs have jackknife folding keys that may not stay fully open.
    — BostonGlobe.com, 28 Feb. 2023
  • One photograph captured the image of a towheaded boy of about 3, stripping bark off a stick with a jackknife.
    — Alice Gregory, New York Times, 18 May 2017
  • The fourth vehicle then ran into a semi-truck, which caused the semi to jackknife and slam into the center median.
    — Dallas News, 23 Aug. 2019
  • Not having to worry much about containment, his signature inside jackknife move took Cousins off his spots.
    — Ellis L. Williams, cleveland, 3 Oct. 2021
  • Mendoza hit the car in front of him, causing him to jackknife, which in turn caused his entire load of heavy steel pipes to land on my husband's truck, crushing him and killing him instantly.
    — David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025
  • An investigation shows that a semi-truck pulling tandem trailers hydroplaned, causing the driver to lose control and the semi to jackknife.
    — Sam Gillette, People.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • Spud led in points after two rounds with a repertoire that included 360-degree jams; a reverse double-pump; a straight-ahead double, and a jackknife.
    — Kevin Sherrington feb. 10, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026
  • In a jackknife the trailer comes all the way around, takes both lanes, and crushes against the cab until the whole thing comes to a crashing stop at the bottom of the abyss or against the granite side of the Rockies.
    — Longreads, 21 Sep. 2017
  • No weapon was found on Napier, although investigators discovered a jackknife and an ice pick-type tool stuck into the wall of the garage, not far from where Napier was first confronted.
    — Jeff McDonald, sandiegouniontribune.com, 27 July 2017
  • In one of his average workout classes, Curtis Adams will lead his group through a series of exercises, including jogging, jackknives and cardio boxing.
    — Olivia Lloyd, sun-sentinel.com, 1 Aug. 2019
  • In one of his average workout classes, Curtis Adams will lead his group through a series of exercises, including jogging, jackknives and cardio boxing.
    — Olivia Lloyd, chicagotribune.com, 19 Sep. 2019
  • The senior jackknife had a 10-yard rushing TD, then a punt return for a TD to give the Eagles a 14-12 lead.
    — Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 31 Aug. 2025
  • Valdez carved through the Philadelphia Phillies’ lineup with hard sinkers and jackknife curveballs, evening the World Series with a 5-2 victory that was out of his grasp last fall.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 30 Oct. 2022
  • The extremely limited-run beer is limited to 200 bottles, sold as survival kits that include a solar blanket, paracord, and Swiss Army jackknife.
    — Matt Allyn, Popular Mechanics, 5 Jan. 2018
  • The driver, a 41-year-old man from Mexico, lost control of the semi-truck in the rainy conditions, which caused the vehicle to jackknife and collide with the right shoulder wall, said Castro.
    — City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Dec. 2021
  • Artifacts found on the island include a woman’s mirror compact similar to one Earhart was known to carry, a cosmetic jar, a jackknife, and a wooden box that appeared to once contain a sextant, a navigation instrument.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025

jackknife

2 of 2 verb
  • The truck jackknifed on the icy road.
  • In the mix of the crash was a tractor-trailer that jackknifed across the whole road.
    — Lauren Linder, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Trying to turn would jackknife the bike, so most riders would brake to a standstill, then try to hop and pivot.
    — Peter Rubin, Longreads, 10 Nov. 2022
  • Video from the scene shows a semi truck jackknifed into a barrier on the expressway.
    — Elyssa Kaufman, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
  • The drawings are confusing, but the street view shows a truck jackknifed across a walkway, which is at least a familiar sight.
    — William Finnegan, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2023
  • The semi-truck jackknifed as a result and hit the Ram Sprinter, which was pushed into a road sign.
    — Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
  • The semi-truck jackknifed as a result and hit the Ram Sprinter, which was pushed into a road sign.
    — Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The trailer then jackknifed and was hit by a minivan, killing all three people inside in the minivan, officials said.
    — Michael Ruiz , Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025
  • The trailer then jackknifed and was hit by a minivan, killing all three people inside the minivan, officials said.
    — Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 4 Nov. 2025
  • The truck subsequently jackknifed and slid across all lanes of traffic, leading to the shutdown of the westbound side for a full eight hours.
    — Carol Cormaci, latimes.com, 9 Apr. 2018
  • The semi-truck then jackknifed as a result and collided with the Ram Sprinter, which was pushed into a road sign.
    — Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Another 188 cars went off state roads, and there were 13 reported jackknifed semi trucks.
    — Aki Nace, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
  • The interesting-looking roofline flows back into a ducktail spoiler with slim taillights that jackknife down the quarter panel.
    — Connor Hoffman, Car and Driver, 9 Mar. 2021
  • The trailer jackknifed and collided with a minivan, killing all three of its passengers, according to officials.
    — Sophia Compton, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2025
  • It’s been a precarious season, with spinouts and jackknifed trailers and frequent whiteout conditions that have forced the closure of the highway.
    — St. John Barned-Smith, San Francisco Chronicle, 12 Mar. 2023
  • During the same period, 19 vehicles spun out, 249 went off the road and 16 semitrucks jackknifed.
    — Wcco Staff, CBS News, 29 Dec. 2025
  • On the Dan Ryan Expressway, a semi-trailer truck jackknifed near 31st Street.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 25 Jan. 2026
  • Powers’ vehicle then jackknifed across the northbound lanes, the Spokesman-Review reported.
    — David Chiu, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024
  • Cars were stuck for five hours in blowing snow on Interstate 80 after semitrailers jackknifed in slippery conditions.
    — CBS News, 13 Jan. 2024
  • The semi- truck then jackknifed and slid from the right lane to the left, causing a collision with three other passenger cars, DPS officials have said.
    — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 June 2026
  • Oftentimes, jackknifing is a result of improper braking, poor road conditions or equipment failure.
    — Kimberly Rapanut, azcentral, 11 June 2018
  • The suspect’s truck then jackknifed and slid from the right lane to the left, causing a collision with three other passenger cars, DPS officials said.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 July 2025
  • Swiveling, jackknifing, raising her arms, and then crumpling over, Dunst has as much intensity as a Martha Graham dancer.
    — Amy Larocca, The Cut, 8 Aug. 2017
  • There's also a jackknifed semi causing delays on Interstate 494 near Plymouth.
    — Cole Premo, CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025
  • The big rig jackknifed approximately 20 feet off the roadway and down an embankment, according to the CHP.
    — Rick Hurd, The Mercury News, 18 July 2024
  • The driver of the commercial vehicle attempted to take evasive action which caused the truck-tractor and semi-trailer to jackknife across all the westbound lanes of the Interstate.
    — Kelli Smith, Dallas News, 16 Apr. 2021
  • The driver of a semitruck collided with another truck that had previously jackknifed under an overpass, the Des Moines Register reported.
    — Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2025
  • According to the patrol, there have been 179 property damage crashes, 163 vehicles off the road, 12 injury crashes, five spinouts and seven jackknifed semis.
    — Adam Del Rosso, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
  • On Twitter, State Police said tractor-trailers were jackknifed at various locations in central Massachusetts.
    — Laney Ruckstuhl and Elise Takahama, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Mar. 2018
  • The Michigan Department of Transportation reported several highway lane closures on its Mi Drive map during the morning hours due to crashes and at least one jackknifed semitruck.
    — Nick Lentz, CBS News, 30 Nov. 2025

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

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