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

Sadly, this train has been careening off a cliff for the better part of the season. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026

In the clip, filmed at her 36th birthday party, Madix careens through a bar and lands directly onto her left cheek without attempting to break her fall; her hand is busy holding up her cocktail, which stays miraculously intact. — Anna Peele, Vanity Fair, 31 Aug. 2026

With the married couple of Robert and Camille Sims careening off onto very different moral trajectories, Camille must confront troubling truths as her conscience plummets into the pits of Hades, while Robert is on a profound journey of salvation. — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2026

On the second-team’s next series, Mondon lined up along the right edge — where starter Zack Baun has thrived — and careened into the backfield and batted Tommy DeVito’s pass attempt incomplete. — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026