swerve

swerve

verb

Definition of SWERVE

1

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

Synonyms break, cut, sheer, veer, yaw, zag, zig

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

Antonyms straighten

2

to turn away from a straight line or course <the bike path gently swerves to the right>

Synonyms arc, arch, bend, bow, crook, fall off, hook, round, sweep, swerve, trend, wheel

Related Words circle, coil, curlicue, curl, loop, spiral; turn, twist, wind; deviate, veer

Antonyms straighten

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>

Synonyms arch, bow, crook, curve, hook, swerve

Related Words arc, round; incurvate, incurve, inflect, reflect; deflect, divert; entwine, kink, swirl, turn, twine, twist, veer, warp; coil, curl, enroll (also enrol), loop, spiral; dent, dimple; meander, wave, weave, wind; decline, incline, slope

Antonyms straighten, unbend, uncurl

4

to change one's course or direction <the hurricane had been following the coastline before it swerved and headed inland>

Synonyms detour, deviate, diverge, sheer, swerve, swing, turn off, veer, wheel

Related Words tack, zigzag; double (back), turn back