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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of careening
The games have always been fast and loose with physics, and the omnimovement system only exasperated it by giving everyone the Matrix-style power to shoot backward while careening down a flight of stairs.
—
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2025
The event comes as the government is careening toward a potential shutdown that could force some 2 million troops to work without pay if a spending bill doesn't pass Congress by midnight Wednesday.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025
The blame game Barring some type of last-minute reprieve, the federal government is careening toward a shutdown Tuesday night.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
Last month, Sony marked the start of production by releasing a video of Holland on set on the first day in Glasgow, in an elaborate stunt sequence that had Holland, as Spider-Man, landing on a tank careening through the city.
—Adam B. Vary, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025
Then there were the gym class scooters, which were basically just a flat plastic surface and four wheels of death that would send you careening across the gym floor, often crushing your fingers in the process.
—Kara Nesvig, Parents, 12 Sep. 2025
The outlook isn’t good for the Kings, who have gotten older without fixing the roster imbalance that sent them careening toward play-in tournament losses each of the past two seasons.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 7 Sep. 2025
André Marques was killed when the tram derailed during evening rush hour in Lisbon, Portugal and went careening into a building, Sitra (Transport Workers' Union) announced this afternoon.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
There’s no word on whether the careening bullet train will allow for drag queen fashion and performance challenges typical of the Drag Race TV series.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2025
The event comes as the government is careening toward a potential shutdown that could force some 2 million troops to work without pay if a spending bill doesn't pass Congress by midnight Wednesday.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025
The blame game Barring some type of last-minute reprieve, the federal government is careening toward a shutdown Tuesday night.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
Last month, Sony marked the start of production by releasing a video of Holland on set on the first day in Glasgow, in an elaborate stunt sequence that had Holland, as Spider-Man, landing on a tank careening through the city.
—Adam B. Vary, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025
Then there were the gym class scooters, which were basically just a flat plastic surface and four wheels of death that would send you careening across the gym floor, often crushing your fingers in the process.
—Kara Nesvig, Parents, 12 Sep. 2025
The outlook isn’t good for the Kings, who have gotten older without fixing the roster imbalance that sent them careening toward play-in tournament losses each of the past two seasons.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 7 Sep. 2025
André Marques was killed when the tram derailed during evening rush hour in Lisbon, Portugal and went careening into a building, Sitra (Transport Workers' Union) announced this afternoon.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
There’s no word on whether the careening bullet train will allow for drag queen fashion and performance challenges typical of the Drag Race TV series.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for careening
Verb
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The administration’s lurching one way and another with tariffs is another example.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
20 Sep. 2025
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The title track opens the affair by lurching and creeping forward for ten minutes with odd, off-putting lyrics.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Then the Dodgers stopped by in October for an NLDS heavyweight title bout — and the Phillies are already staggering through a standing 8-count.—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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The young men in Bruins blue and gold staggering off the field afterwards dazed, confused.—
Mirjam Swanson,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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He was accused of driving recklessly — speeding and passing in a no-passing zone — when the motorist swerved to avoid Lacy and crashed into another vehicle.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
7 Oct. 2025
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When there were 30 laps to go, he was struck with a penalty for speeding on the pit road.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Countless moths beat frenetically around the trap’s white, diaphanous panels, which are swaying with ghostly ripples in a gentle breeze.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
2 Oct. 2025
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In his own post, the Cavs guard shared the same photo, along with a clip showing an aerial view of the proposal, which took place by a pool surrounded by swaying palm trees.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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By the time the five members of Tomorrow X Together (TXT for short) appear, not from the stage but through the pit doors, weaving past the barricades and into the sea of fans, the noise has swelled to seismic levels.—
Crystal Bell,
Rolling Stone,
3 Oct. 2025
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Created by Emmy Award winner Lena Waithe, The Chi premiered in 2018 and quickly became a defining work in contemporary television, weaving together the lives of Chicago residents in a unique way.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Normally, the hours and days before the prospect of a shutdown on Capitol Hill are filled with scenes of lawmakers and aides scurrying about to negotiate possible settlements.—
Alexander Bolton,
The Hill,
30 Sep. 2025
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After scurrying through passengers, the scared kitten ended up in the arms of New York native Betsaida Mercado, who picked up the feline and took her home.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Taylor Swift‘s Life of a Showgirl special theatrical event is rocking at the domestic box office, where it’s headed for a first-place finish with a weekend haul of $28 million to $32 million from 3,702 theaters, according to estimates from Swift’s team and partner AMC Theatres.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Oct. 2025
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The clip finds Meg rocking camo pants, tan boots and a wool hat while dancing to the track in the studio.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Pedestrians are hurrying past to find their places on Fifth Avenue, but the girls have a different kind of readiness about them.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
5 Oct. 2025
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That's why Amazon shoppers are hurrying to grab a soft and fluffy comforter for fall.—
Melody Kazel,
PEOPLE,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Careening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/careening. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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