1
as in veered
to depart abruptly from a straight line or course
the car swerved sharply to avoid the squirrel in the road
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in curved
to turn away from a straight line or course
the bike path gently swerves to the right
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in arched
to cause to turn away from a straight line
a dog dashed out in front of me and made me swerve my bike to one side of the bike path
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in deviated
to change one's course or direction
the hurricane had been following the coastline before it swerved and headed inland
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of swerved
Confrontation Escalates Fetzer said the vehicles swerved toward the cyclists, honked and put their lives in danger.
—
Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Fetzer said the cars swerved at them, honked and put the cyclists’ lives in danger.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
The driver swerved into a grass median in the northbound lanes of Interstate 35W, continued through the grass to the bridge at Westport Parkway and drove over the wall onto the road below, Fort Worth police said.
—Emerson Clarridge
updated March 30, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2026
As both departments were assisting with the disabled vehicle, an SUV traveling westbound swerved around the Grand Prairie patrol vehicle and struck the Arlington patrol vehicle.
—Briauna Brown, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
In Chicago, Marimar Martinez was accused of ramming her car into a Border Patrol vehicle, despite video evidence suggesting the officer swerved his car into hers; an agent subsequently shot her five times.
—Oriana Van Praag, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2026
Like the first incident, the Coco robot reportedly swerved into the bus shelter while making a delivery and only stopped after bursting through it.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 26 Mar. 2026
Bored by the beige that blankets most homes in the area, Everett swerved in the opposite direction.
—Julie Vadnal, Architectural Digest, 18 Mar. 2026
Moments later, a tractor trailer whose 52-year-old driver had swerved to avoid hitting another vehicle slammed into the passenger side of the Astimbay’s Camry.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Fetzer said the cars swerved at them, honked and put the cyclists’ lives in danger.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
The driver swerved into a grass median in the northbound lanes of Interstate 35W, continued through the grass to the bridge at Westport Parkway and drove over the wall onto the road below, Fort Worth police said.
—Emerson Clarridge
updated March 30, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2026
As both departments were assisting with the disabled vehicle, an SUV traveling westbound swerved around the Grand Prairie patrol vehicle and struck the Arlington patrol vehicle.
—Briauna Brown, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
In Chicago, Marimar Martinez was accused of ramming her car into a Border Patrol vehicle, despite video evidence suggesting the officer swerved his car into hers; an agent subsequently shot her five times.
—Oriana Van Praag, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2026
Like the first incident, the Coco robot reportedly swerved into the bus shelter while making a delivery and only stopped after bursting through it.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 26 Mar. 2026
Bored by the beige that blankets most homes in the area, Everett swerved in the opposite direction.
—Julie Vadnal, Architectural Digest, 18 Mar. 2026
Moments later, a tractor trailer whose 52-year-old driver had swerved to avoid hitting another vehicle slammed into the passenger side of the Astimbay’s Camry.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swerved
Verb
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Born in 1932 in the central German town of Halberstadt, Kluge started his career as a lawyer, but soon veered towards literature and cinema.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The truck then veered into a lane to the right and collided with the backend of a 2021 Toyota Highlander being driven by a 69-year-old man from Lake Elsinore.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The cosmos has three possible geometries—positively curved like a sphere, flat like an infinite plane or negatively curved like a saddle—but geometry alone doesn’t determine shape.—
Paul M. Sutter,
Scientific American,
27 Mar. 2026
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The rear of the speaker is smartly curved to better hug your body when it is slung over your shoulder, too.—
Mark Knapp,
PC Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sami’s hair and beard were gray, and his thick eyebrows arched over his tired walnut eyes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Mar. 2026
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Engage your core and keep your back relatively flat (not arched or rounded).—
Jenny McCoy,
Outside,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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There’s been times when he’s deviated from such plans in the past for that reason.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
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But during the first week of the Iran war, Hegseth’s press briefings deviated from the measured tone expected from high-ranking military officials.—
Casey Ryan Kelly,
The Conversation,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Netflix has given a second season renewal to Age of Attraction after the dating reality series strongly hooked with viewers after a March 25 rookie season wrap.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Leonas got his chance in 2013 and has been hooked ever since.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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My dad glanced behind us once to see if we were being followed, winked at me in the rearview mirror, and then swung our car toward Interstate 80, headed west.—
Zayd Ayers Dohrn,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
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Then the pendulum swung and strength training came into vogue in the ’90s and 2000s as more research emerged suggesting that lifting could help improve bone health and prevent osteoporosis, Petrzela says.—
Caitlin Carlson,
SELF,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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With his head bowed and gaze fixed, the golden retriever looks less like a pet on a routine car ride and more like a main character in a melancholy music video.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
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Even when the crew at LateNighter pressed for specifics the day before SNL UK bowed, Peacock remained mum on the premiere time.—
Josef Adalian,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Estrada Juarez turned the camera to show the sunset.—
Mathew Miranda,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The Eastlake defense turned three double plays behind him, including a nifty 6-4-3, started by shortstop Zowen Watson, to end the game.—
John Maffei,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swerved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swerved. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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