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

Surveillance footage showed the car careen through a red light in Culver City on the way to Southern California Hospital. — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026

The fatal hit-and-run occurred less than two hours after a 13-year-old boy was killed riding on the back of a moped in Queens after his friend slammed into an open car door and then careened into a moving truck. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 30 June 2026

An attempt to slow the plane by grabbing onto the wing only results in the wing snapping off while the fuselage keeps careening towards the ground. — James Grebey, Time, 26 June 2026

The crash in the Houston suburb of Katy gained immense attention after video from the incident showed the car careening into the side of the home. — Samantha Elkins, NBC news, 25 June 2026