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
Relevance
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
Police were on scene Monday afternoon in Granada Hills after a Tesla driver lost control and careened into the Ali Baba Persian Restaurant.
—
Gavin J. Quinton, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
That’s when a Purdy pass got tipped at the line and careened off Christian McCaffrey’s hands into Drake Thomas’at the Seattle 3 for a comeback-crushing interception.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2026
Thinking about the pendulum careening back the other way reminded me of something from an interview about five years ago, as the Chiefs were seeking to repeat after winning their first Super Bowl in 50 years.
—Kansas City Star, 1 Jan. 2026
The resulting film, Marty Supreme, follows Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet), a cunning, ambitious table tennis player from the Lower East side careening through a series of frantic confrontations in 1950s New York City.
—Julien Levy, Rolling Stone, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for careen
Gavin J. Quinton, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
That’s when a Purdy pass got tipped at the line and careened off Christian McCaffrey’s hands into Drake Thomas’at the Seattle 3 for a comeback-crushing interception.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2026
Thinking about the pendulum careening back the other way reminded me of something from an interview about five years ago, as the Chiefs were seeking to repeat after winning their first Super Bowl in 50 years.
—Kansas City Star, 1 Jan. 2026
The resulting film, Marty Supreme, follows Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet), a cunning, ambitious table tennis player from the Lower East side careening through a series of frantic confrontations in 1950s New York City.
—Julien Levy, Rolling Stone, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for careen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for careen
Verb
-
Sometimes an unexpected event lurches family members into becoming caregivers.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Jan. 2026
-
The entire tech industry lurched into motion.—
MacKenzie Sigalos,
CNBC,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Bills had a pretty cushy road schedule this year, playing once outside the Eastern time zone, yet staggered around early.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
-
The Packers staggered to the finish with a four-game losing streak but will have quarterback Jordan Love (concussion) back.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The man who once ignored his own safety to scurry out onto a frozen pond, crashing through the ice to rescue my yellow lab.—
Scott Maxwell,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Jan. 2026
-
If seeing one scurrying through your living room sends you scrambling for a quick remedy, your instincts are on track.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Her efforts have thus far not swayed the Senate, which has chosen instead to advance two alternative tax relief bills introduced by state Sens.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Long, swaying motion was widely reported, with additional aftershocks continuing through late morning.—
Anthony Trotter,
ABC News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
An hour later, for its first concert since the fires, parishioners sat in awe as Grammy Award winning violinist Anne Akiko Meyers weaved her bow across her violin, the music of Johann Sebastian Bach echoing through the church.—
Camelia Heins,
Daily News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Culturally, 2026 is the year cannabis truly weaves into everyday life.—
Amplified Content Studio,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
His arm was pinned into the back window of a car as a suspect sped away, dragging him across the pavement for about 100 yards, according to court documents.—
Allison Gordon,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
-
By speeding up the transit time of your stomach contents, fiber may reduce the amount of time that stomach acid can irritate your esophagus, Dilley added.—
Maggie O'Neill,
Verywell Health,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Harbaugh is now the top coach on a market rocked by his availability.—
Mark Maske,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
-
After rocking her signature long locks for years, the Ocean's Eight actress went for the big chop this fall and is now sporting a lob.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Rafiq thanked the shopkeeper and hurried out of the bazaar’s maze-like structure to find his car.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Caracas, Venezuela — The morning after US forces bombed Caracas, dragged President Nicolás Maduro out of bed, carted him over the Caribbean and installed him in a Brooklyn jail, many Venezuelans hurried to the grocery store.—
Mary Triny Mena,
CNN Money,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Careen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/careen. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
