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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of careen
Once it’s set, however, the song hits that midpoint launch, and the visuals take off with it, careening into a kaleidoscopic burst of moshing, shredding, and seemingly unfettered euphoria that quickly descends into strange violence and cannibalistic chaos.
—
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 8 July 2025
The East River’s currents can be quite strong, as was seen last month when the Mexican Navy ship Cuauhtémoc lost power and was then sent helplessly careening into the Brooklyn Bridge by the water’s powerful force, breaking its masts on the span.
—Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 7 June 2025
In 2013, when the government careened toward default before raising the debt limit at the last minute, the economy lost 1% of GDP.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 4 June 2025
After a few iterations of this, the vehicle might careen off the track altogether.
—ArsTechnica, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for careen
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 8 July 2025
The East River’s currents can be quite strong, as was seen last month when the Mexican Navy ship Cuauhtémoc lost power and was then sent helplessly careening into the Brooklyn Bridge by the water’s powerful force, breaking its masts on the span.
—Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 7 June 2025
In 2013, when the government careened toward default before raising the debt limit at the last minute, the economy lost 1% of GDP.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 4 June 2025
After a few iterations of this, the vehicle might careen off the track altogether.
—ArsTechnica, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for careen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for careen
Verb
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Later in the drive, FSD lurched right – for no apparent reason – and tried to go down a steep driveway grade toward a locked gate.—
Brooke Crothers,
Forbes.com,
17 July 2025
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From the outside, the company has appeared to be lurching from one crisis to the next.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
7 July 2025
Verb
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But Cnet raises something else: in previous years, Apple has staggered the release dates of its products, even though the unveiling has happened on the same day.—
David Phelan,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
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However, there are several small kitchen appliances that use a lot of power and their use should be staggered whenever possible.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Squirrels had always scurried through trees, where birds sang.—
Clint Smith,
The Atlantic,
8 Aug. 2025
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As fat raindrops sent onlookers scurrying for cover, the two course partners finished with respective 66 and 67 scores on the day and knotted at six-under atop the early leaderboard.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
27 June 2025
Verb
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Business executives, at least some, are less swayed by the hype and more level-headed about the costs and benefits of using AI.—
Shivaram Rajgopal,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
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In the clip, the TLC stars swayed side to side with their arms around Bowling’s neck as his hands rested on their waist.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Now, with just a few months’ notice, staff are dismantling a 30-year program carefully woven into the city’s social safety net.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Aug. 2025
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The last time might have been in a regional nightclub in the mid aughts, or weaving through a busy high street.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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One example of the effectiveness of consistent safety enforcement is mobile speed management programs for work zones, where the percentage of drivers excessively speeding dropped 30% after implementation.—
David Roberts,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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When the officers attempted to pull the BMW over, the car sped off and made other unsafe driving maneuvers, such as swerving around other cars and running a stop sign.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Dolphins’ opening offensive series concluded with Wilson getting rocked on a third-down pass as center Daniel Brunskill failed to pick up a blitzer up the middle.—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
16 Aug. 2025
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Mariah Carey rocks a chic black leather jacket and sunglasses while out and about in London on Aug. 15.—
Escher Walcott,
People.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Several people were seen hurrying to help Warren, including Susan Collins of Maine and Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who grabbed her by her forearm to lift her up.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
1 Aug. 2025
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Then Maye barked signals and hurried the offense back to the line, as the defense showed blitz.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
1 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Careen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/careen. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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