1
as in lurching
to make a series of unsteady side-to-side motions
the sled careened as it barreled down the hill
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in staggering
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 speeding
to proceed or move quickly
sounding its siren, an ambulance careened through the intersection
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of careening
Imagine that—mother, child, and a half dozen designer beasts in a teetering Winnebago, careening down byways, pulling into Woonsocket for a night to drop off last weekend’s wolf pack and pick up the next, before getting back on the road to chase glory all over again.
—
Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
His mother was working two jobs and his father, a longtime alcoholic who was often unemployed, was careening toward disaster.
—Keith O'Brien, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2026
Mother Tongue Film Festival; the ever-popular Garage Racing National Championships, which find bike riders careening through an underground parking garage; and events honoring Black History Month, including a film festival, walking tours and trivia.
—Fritz Hahn, Washington Post, 19 Feb. 2026
The Dardennes-esque vérité portrait of lives careening from loss and economic hardship won two awards at the Sundance Film Festival that year — including Best Director for Hammer — and received multiple Film Independent Spirit and Gotham award nominations.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 Feb. 2026
Bad Bunny‘s historic month — careening from Grammy album of the year honors into the annals of Super Bowl halftime history — feels like a coronation for Latin music.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 9 Feb. 2026
At one point, Landeskog appeared to lose his left skate and went careening into the net and end boards.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2026
It's been careening back and forth since roughly doubling in price over 12 months.
—Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 2026
It’s been careening back and forth since roughly doubling in price over 12 months.
—Stan Choe, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
His mother was working two jobs and his father, a longtime alcoholic who was often unemployed, was careening toward disaster.
—Keith O'Brien, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2026
Mother Tongue Film Festival; the ever-popular Garage Racing National Championships, which find bike riders careening through an underground parking garage; and events honoring Black History Month, including a film festival, walking tours and trivia.
—Fritz Hahn, Washington Post, 19 Feb. 2026
The Dardennes-esque vérité portrait of lives careening from loss and economic hardship won two awards at the Sundance Film Festival that year — including Best Director for Hammer — and received multiple Film Independent Spirit and Gotham award nominations.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 Feb. 2026
Bad Bunny‘s historic month — careening from Grammy album of the year honors into the annals of Super Bowl halftime history — feels like a coronation for Latin music.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 9 Feb. 2026
At one point, Landeskog appeared to lose his left skate and went careening into the net and end boards.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2026
It's been careening back and forth since roughly doubling in price over 12 months.
—Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 2026
It’s been careening back and forth since roughly doubling in price over 12 months.
—Stan Choe, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for careening
Verb
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The two sides have been lurching toward this end for a while now.—
Josh Kendall,
New York Times,
24 Feb. 2026
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Brant, who was elected in a special election in August, inherited an office already in disarray, in a county that has spent the past year lurching from one government crisis to the next.—
Nick El Hajj,
Des Moines Register,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Cheng likes to build muni bond ladders, which means staggering the maturity dates of multiple bonds.—
Michelle Fox,
CNBC,
29 Oct. 2025
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To get through the season and the playoffs, staggering the minutes of Green and Horford is logical, even with Quintin Post picking up some center minutes.—
Jannelle Moore,
Mercury News,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Police Chief Rick Edwards told reporters an officer nearby saw a large fight in the street and cars speeding.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
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The two hydrate and charge the drone, but it's destroyed after being hit by a speeding truck.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Unlock The Mystery Surrounding A Lone Mailbox Sticking out like a sore thumb along gently swaying sea oats and majestic sand dunes, the Wrightsville Beach Mailbox is a legendary character in this part of North Carolina.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
26 Feb. 2026
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While many of the notable Art Deco buildings that give the area its charm were constructed in the 1930s, Miami Beach had a second heyday in the 1950s and ’60s, when TV stars including Jackie Gleason helped draw tourists to the town with the backdrop of swaying palm trees and a tropical moon.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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From finishes to fabrics, textures, and tones, weaving pieces throughout your home will create a fresh and exciting feel, says Schehr.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Feb. 2026
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His rise was connected to so many aspects of modern American life, from reality television and information technology to gender politics and deindustrialization, that weaving it in seemed not just natural but inevitable.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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DeMar DeRozan just slammed a water bottle to the floor, sending several courtside attendants scurrying into action to mop up the mess.—
HECTOR AMEZCUA,
Sacbee.com,
10 Feb. 2026
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Crushed like a scurrying cucaracha on the kitchen floor.—
Greg Cote
January 30,
Miami Herald,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Ainfox 4-Piece Outdoor Furniture Swivel Chair Sets This set comes with two sturdy swivel chairs, a rocking loveseat, and a side table—all rust- and weather-resistant, with steel framing.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Feb. 2026
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In addition to Outcome, Diaz is also set to appear in the Netflix comedy Bad Day—and she's already been spotted rocking a few polarizing outfits on the set of the film!—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Instead of hurrying to break up tents and scatter RVs, Lee and Oakland’s interim homelessness chief Sasha Hauswald want city workers to focus on minimizing trash and human waste around encampments.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
15 Feb. 2026
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Meza Gonzalez and David Christian, one of her attorneys, refused to answer questions from reporters about the plea agreement, hurrying down a flight of stairs at the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center.—
Megan Rodriguez,
San Antonio Express-News,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Careening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/careening. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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