careen

verb

kə-ˈrēn How to pronounce careen (audio)
Definition of careennext
1
as in to lurch
to make a series of unsteady side-to-side motions the sled careened as it barreled down the hill

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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
3
as in to scurry
to proceed or move quickly sounding its siren, an ambulance careened through the intersection

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 See All Example Sentences for careen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for careen
  1. lurch
  2. stagger
  3. scurry
  4. sway
  5. weave
  6. speed
  7. rock
  8. hurry
Verb
  • The statue is dragged via ropes by grunting Trojans before being lurched upright against a sacred temple, once again jostling those inside.
    — David Mack, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
  • Adams’ shoulders lurched on the bench, while Richards fell to his knees, dug his afro into the grass, and closed his eyes in pain.
    — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of lurch
Verb
  • The American staggered out of the gates at Royal Portrush last year to an opening 78, but played the final three rounds in a blazing 16-under-par.
    — Justin Ray, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • Employers staggered work schedules, commuters mapped alternate routes and many residents avoided the city altogether.
    — Andrea Clement, AJC.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of stagger
Verb
  • Set on a stage at the very highest level of the stands, that similarly crowded performance looked like a Grammys medley on video but must have resembled ants scurrying around a screensaver to much of the in-person audience.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 19 July 2026
  • McClair, a scurrying cerebral Glaswegian signed from Celtic and one of the few players to outsmart his boss Sir Alex Ferguson, had become the first in 20 years, since Best, to score 20 league goals for United.
    — Andy Mitten, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Definition of scurry
Verb
  • After a few hours under the hot sun, there was no better cool down than swaying to Babyface classics.
    — Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado July 22, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026
  • Helado Tropical rewards those willing to sway in its intangible breeziness.
    — E.R. Pulgar, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026
Definition of sway
Verb
  • Under the supervision of a local artisan, guests sit cross-legged on a carpet beneath a large tree and weave their own small version of the bed.
    — Emese Maczko, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • The superintendent served as master of ceremonies, with performers weaving around him, cameos by celebrities, and slide projections and film sequences appearing on cue to supplement his applause and laugh lines.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of weave
Verb
  • The Space Development Agency was established in 2019 to help speed up the deployment of US military space systems by sidestepping the Pentagon’s traditional sluggish bureaucracy.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026
  • Beyond producing highly uniform nanowires, the technique speeds up materials research.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 17 July 2026
Definition of speed
Verb
  • Travis Scott rocks some serious chains while attending Fanatics Fest 2026 on July 17 in New York City.
    — Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026
  • Isom, 62, took over the top role at American in March 2022, after the airline industry had been rocked by the pandemic.
    — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 19 July 2026
Definition of rock
Verb
  • The ramyeon in the pot burbled over, and Bo hurried to the stove to turn off the gas.
    — Min Jin Lee, New Yorker, 19 July 2026
  • Rogan suggested that his guest should hurry up with Iran-war negotiations and get on with the real business of the government, such as finding out whether the government is secretly hoarding extraterrestrial corpses.
    — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026
Definition of hurry

Browse Nearby Words

cared (for)
careen
careened
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Cite this Entry

“Careen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/careen. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on careen

Nglish: Translation of careen for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about careen

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