1
as in lurches
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 staggers
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 scurries
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 careens
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen careens across the gravel after the rear of his car locks up during Qualifying for the first race of the season.
—
Brad Spurgeon, Robb Report, 9 Mar. 2026
With Good shot, the car then careens to the side of the road, crashing into a parked car.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 9 Jan. 2026
Delta Aurigid meteors appear each year as Earth careens through a debris trail left by an unknown comet.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 10 Oct. 2025
As their season careens to a close this week, with a 70-87 record going into Wednesday night, a last-place finish assured and the only record within reach being that for strikeouts in a season by the offense, contention seems as far away as it’s ever been.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 25 Sep. 2025
The up-and-comer goes all in as the film careens toward its gleefully gory finale, proving her scream queen bona fides with a commanding, vanity-free performance.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
Their car careens off the road, hits a rock and dumps them into a river.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 8 Aug. 2025
Brad Spurgeon, Robb Report, 9 Mar. 2026
With Good shot, the car then careens to the side of the road, crashing into a parked car.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 9 Jan. 2026
Delta Aurigid meteors appear each year as Earth careens through a debris trail left by an unknown comet.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 10 Oct. 2025
As their season careens to a close this week, with a 70-87 record going into Wednesday night, a last-place finish assured and the only record within reach being that for strikeouts in a season by the offense, contention seems as far away as it’s ever been.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 25 Sep. 2025
The up-and-comer goes all in as the film careens toward its gleefully gory finale, proving her scream queen bona fides with a commanding, vanity-free performance.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
Their car careens off the road, hits a rock and dumps them into a river.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for careens
Verb
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The film unhurriedly lurches from one markedly similar fight scene to the next, with only Skeletor’s occasional injections of ripe innuendo to liven them up a bit.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
2 June 2026
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By the end, Noonan’s film stops feeling like a first date and starts to resemble the makings of a crime scene as his mood lurches toward something dangerous.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Like many Florida school districts, OCPS staggers start times to most efficiently use its school buses and drivers.—
Steven Walker,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
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The first 10 minutes of the film are set in Norms, where a grungy man staggers in with a bomb, ranting about artificial intelligence.—
Fielding Buck,
Daily News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That goes for much here, from the light that scurries away from Benjamín Echazarreta’s muted camera, to the moments of sweetness that punctuate Mariá Portugal’s largely ominous score.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
14 May 2026
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The way Radcliffe scurries out of his chair and into the green room to meet Liu illustrates her visceral impact.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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One big question now, Thomas says, is whether a tie-up with a paragon of fast-fashion alienates Everlane's current clientele — or sways Shein shoppers to trade up.—
Alina Selyukh,
NPR,
22 May 2026
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Biff shouts at him at the show’s excruciating climax) sways between light and dark, between the road and the deadly shoulder, advancing through his last hours on earth as if through the stations of the cross.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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First released in May 2026 as a single ahead of her next album Whiskey & Hemingway, the song effortlessly weaves traditional American country elements with the singer's El Salvadoran heritage.—
Chris Barilla,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
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The tour begins at Dos Lokos in Westport, crosses the state line to Cortadito Cuban Cafe in Kansas City, Kansas, weaves to Tacos Valentina in the Crossroads, Union Station and back to party at the Mexican sports bar.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Ramsay speeds through many of the action shots to instead focus on Joe’s psyche.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
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Adrenaline speeds up peristalsis, the contractions and constrictions of the intestines, while blood is diverted from the digestive system, which can cause nausea.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Jane Fonda rocks a pink suit at the 2026 GCAPP Rising Leaders Luncheon on June 5 in Sandy Springs, Ga.—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
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While all of this inner turmoil rocks the rest of the Islanders, Aniya should be getting paid some kind of fee for her services as villa therapist.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Nix almost always hurries his throws when a blitz comes Harvey’s way, regardless of whether the rookie RB picks it up capably or not.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
23 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Careens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/careens. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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