Entry Word: swerve

Function: verb

Meaning: 1 to depart abruptly from a straight line or course <the car swerved sharply to avoid the squirrel in the road>

Synonyms sheer, veer, yaw

Related Words skew, slew (also slue); arc, arch, bend, bow, crook, curve, hook, round, sweep, wheel; circle, coil, curl, loop, spiral; turn, twist, wind; deviate, stray, wander, waver

Antonyms straighten

2 to turn away from a straight line or course <the bike path gently swerves to the right> — see curve 1
3 to cause to turn away from a straight line <a dog dashed out in front of me and made me swerve my bike into the path of an oncoming car> — see bend 1