careen

1 of 2

verb

ca·​reen kə-ˈrēn How to pronounce careen (audio)
careened; careening; careens

transitive verb

1
: to put (a ship or boat) on a beach especially in order to clean, caulk, or repair the hull
2
: to cause to heel over
High waves careened the boat.

intransitive verb

1
a
: to clean, caulk, or repair the hull of a boat
b
: to undergo this process
2
: to heel over
3
: to sway from side to side : lurch
a careening carriage being pulled wildly … by a team of runaway horsesJ. P. Getty
4
: career
The car careened down the hill.

careen

2 of 2

noun

archaic
: the act or process of careening : the state of being careened

Did you know?

Careen and Career

Some people might be confused by the warning to not confuse careen and career, because the most common sense of career ("a profession") is not much like any of the meanings of careen. But when employed as a verb, career does have some semantic overlap with careen; both words may be used to mean "to go at top speed especially in a headlong manner." A car, for instance, may either careen or career. Some usage guides hold, however, that the car is only careening if there is side-to-side motion, as careen has other meanings related to movement, among which is "to sway from side to side."

Examples of careen in a Sentence

Verb the sled careened as it barreled down the hill he careened unsteadily to the couch after hitting his head
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
There are moments that force a reckoning between the two students, women who confront a reality that a sliver of wrong data can send an entire study careening towards irrelevance. David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2024 Under Gonzales’ leadership, the perennially struggling agency careened from one problem to the next. Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 That collision knocked the Kia into the inside two lanes while the Mercedes careened into the outside lane. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2024 For every craggy brown rock that pimpled up through the snow there were 50 more hidden below — all threatening to send me careening sideways with every step. Nick Fasciano, Outdoor Life, 8 Feb. 2024 But that time is now over: Any vote cast in the primary that isn’t for Nikki Haley is a vote for the status quo within the GOP, and will send the party careening toward a constitutional crisis. Christian Schneider, National Review, 18 Jan. 2024 The Duke forward was sent careening off balance and groping for a manager and teammate for support, all the while spraining his ankle. Don Yaeger, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 The usually-trustworthy boat’s autopilot feature had broken down, forcing the 29-year-old skipper to steer the shaky tiller with her legs and man the lines of two sails with each arm while careening through one of the most treacherous stretches of the Indian Ocean. Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 2 Feb. 2024 Greif’s staging, which grows more naturalistic as the pair careens off the rails, attempts its own kind of seduction. Naveen Kumar, Washington Post, 29 Jan. 2024
Noun
Architecture in 2024 Oscar best picture nominees careens from fantasy to willful ignorance. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024 When a rock that could have been as wide as the island of Puerto Rico careens into the ocean, a tsunami will propagate around the world. Alka Tripathy-Lang, Ars Technica, 26 Jan. 2024 Later, on lap three, Lando Norris loses control of his McLaren on turn 11 after hitting a bump in the track and careens into a wall at top speed. David Hill, Rolling Stone, 14 Jan. 2024 The narrative careens through uncompelling territory before ending on a forgettable note. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Nov. 2023 Ramona’s confrontation with her ex Roxie Richter (Mae Whitman) takes place in a video store in which the two women careen magically through different movie genres. Adam B. Vary, Variety, 21 Nov. 2023 Manager Buck Rodgers suffers serious injuries when the team bus careens off the New Jersey Turnpike and slams into a grove of trees. Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2023 Cruz was always in over her head, but she’s now agonizingly conflicted as the moment of truth careens toward her. Los Angeles Times Staff, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2023 Small, quick, and uneasy to drive, the car careens, slides, and bumps around the cobblestones like a golden retriever puppy learning to chase a ball for the first time. William Goodman, Men's Health, 14 July 2023

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

Word History

Etymology

Verb

from carine side of a ship, from Middle French, submerged part of a hull, from Latin carina hull, half of a nutshell; perhaps akin to Greek karyon nut

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1583, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1712, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of careen was circa 1583

Dictionary Entries Near careen

Cite this Entry

“Careen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/careen. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

careen

verb
ca·​reen
kə-ˈrēn
1
: to cause a boat to lean or tilt over on one side for cleaning or repairing
2
: to sway from side to side
3

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