Synonyms of careen

careen

verb

kə-ˈrēn 

1

as in to lurch

to make a series of unsteady side-to-side motions

the sled careened as it barreled down the hill

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lurch
• sway
• rock
• shake
• halt
• roll
• toss
• vibrate
• wobble
• jerk
• tumble
• vacillate
• stagger
• totter
• falter
• waver
• toddle
• seesaw
• weave
• waddle
• stumble
• pitch
• hobble
• oscillate
• undulate
• reel
• teeter
• flounder
• blunder
• jolt
• buck
• hitch
• dodder
• wag
• waggle

2

as in to stagger

to move forward while swaying from side to side

he careened unsteadily to the couch after hitting his head

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stagger
• lurch
• weave
• totter
• waddle
• teeter
• stomp
• roll
• stumble
• shuffle
• reel
• sway
• rock
• waver
• dodder
• wobble
• seesaw
• clomp
• barge
• clump
• lump
• shamble
• stamp
• flounder
• tramp
• galumph
• blunder
• tromp
• scuffle
• pound
• scuff
• lumber
• swag

3

as in to scurry

to proceed or move quickly

sounding its siren, an ambulance careened through the intersection

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scurry
• speed
• hurry
• rush
• race
• travel
• fly
• drive
• jump
• trot
• chase
• zip
• scoot
• run
• scuttle
• dart
• blow
• rip
• buzz
• hurl
• hurtle
• dash
• tear
• step
• zoom
• whirl
• blast
• hasten
• shoot
• ram
• career
• jog
• course
• jet
• motor
• rocket
• hie
• blaze
• bolt
• whisk
• rustle
• breeze
• hustle
• gallop
• bowl
• crack (on)
• hump
• barrel
• belt
• nip
• bundle
• highball
• pelt
• flit
• beat it
• make tracks
• hare
• scamper
• bustle
• cannonball
• bomb
• get a move on
• hotfoot (it)
• accelerate
• step on it
• shake a leg
• sprint
• overtake
• stampede
• whiz
• streak
• outstrip
• quicken
• outrun
• scud
• beetle
• outpace
• step out
• scuffle
• catch up
• fast-forward
• arrow
• beeline

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• creep
• crawl
• linger
• drag
• poke
• hang (around or out)
• loiter
• dawdle
• tarry
• poke
• lag
• saunter
• stroll
• amble
• shuffle
• decelerate
• plod
• slow (down or up)
• lumber
• dally
• dillydally

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of careen

Our passing usually rattled grasshoppers into careening flight. — Tom Huggler, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026

Roth asks in one, referencing the ghostly figure careening overhead. — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 Aug. 2026

Surveillance video of the incident shows the white vehicle involved in the collision sideswiping a car in the opposite lane, then careening toward the crosswalk that moments earlier a pedestrian had entered with a dog. — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026

Video then shows a sedan careening toward the driver and his vehicle. — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 7 Aug. 2026