swerve

verb

ˈswərv 

swerved; swerving

intransitive verb

: to turn aside abruptly from a straight line or course : deviate

transitive verb

: to cause to turn aside or deviate

swerve noun

Synonyms of swerve

• veer

Choose the Right Synonym for swerve

swerve, veer, deviate, depart, digress, diverge mean to turn aside from a straight course.

swerve may suggest a physical, mental, or moral turning away from a given course, often with abruptness.

swerved to avoid hitting the dog

veer implies a major change in direction.

at that point the path veers to the right

deviate implies a turning from a customary or prescribed course.

never deviated from her daily routine

depart suggests a deviation from a traditional or conventional course or type.

occasionally departs from his own guidelines

digress applies to a departing from the subject of one's discourse.

a professor prone to digress

diverge may equal depart but usually suggests a branching of a main path into two or more leading in different directions.

after school their paths diverged

Examples of swerve in a Sentence

He lost control of the car and swerved toward a tree.

the car swerved sharply to avoid the squirrel in the road

Recent Examples on the Web

While driving the five miles home, she was recorded tailgating other vehicles, swerving off the road and crossing over into the on-coming lane, according to the Daily Mail. —Martha Ross, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026

Polly Voss Her video shot on her phone shows the driver of one of the cars swerving suddenly to the right out of the express lane, nearly hitting a passing Jeep, which was driven by a 17-year-old named Katie Bush. —Brian Maass, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026

The video, which was obtained and published by The Daily Mail in October, sees her swerving on the road after a night out at Red-O restaurant in Thousand Oaks. —Christina Perrier, InStyle, 5 Mar. 2026

The Bentley then swerves into a guardrail and careens back across the highway, creating a cloud of dirt and car parts. —Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English sweorfan to wipe, file away; akin to Old High German swerban to wipe off, Welsh chwerfu to whirl

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for swerve

• curve
• mirv
• nerve
• serve
• verve
• conserve
• deserve
• manoeuvre
• observe
• preserve
• reserve
• subserve

Kids Definition

swerve

verb

ˈswərv 

swerved; swerving

: to turn aside suddenly from a straight line or course

swerve noun