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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of swerved
His primary focus was a woman who still appeared to be trapped inside the 2008 Volkswagen Golf that had just swerved into oncoming traffic and collided with a box truck.
—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
19 June 2026
Unlike Magazine Dreams, the modest but satisfying Test avoids the lurid descent into violent psychodrama that swerved into hallucinatory Taxi Driver territory and undercut that film’s integrity.
—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
The driver of the London bus quickly swerved out of the way to avoid her.
—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
O’Neil swerved to avoid the door, but still made contact with it and was thrown to the street, sources said, where the driver of a semitruck ran him over.
—
Chicago Tribune,
15 June 2026
After Persepolis, Satrapi swerved in another direction with Embroideries, which was named after (and partially about) a cosmetic procedure for vaginal tightening.
—
Hillary Chute,
The Atlantic,
9 June 2026
Clement swerved to his right to avoid Henderson’s tag with the infielder throwing to first, thinking that the runner would be called out for being out of the baseline.
—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
Cars intentionally swerved close to spook him, sending him into the gravel more than once.
—
Christina Ray Stanton,
Time,
2 June 2026
At one point, the suspect allegedly swerved again into the wrong direction -- right at an oncoming big rig.
—
Cecilio Padilla,
CBS News,
15 May 2026
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
19 June 2026
Unlike Magazine Dreams, the modest but satisfying Test avoids the lurid descent into violent psychodrama that swerved into hallucinatory Taxi Driver territory and undercut that film’s integrity.
—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
The driver of the London bus quickly swerved out of the way to avoid her.
—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
O’Neil swerved to avoid the door, but still made contact with it and was thrown to the street, sources said, where the driver of a semitruck ran him over.
—
Chicago Tribune,
15 June 2026
After Persepolis, Satrapi swerved in another direction with Embroideries, which was named after (and partially about) a cosmetic procedure for vaginal tightening.
—
Hillary Chute,
The Atlantic,
9 June 2026
Clement swerved to his right to avoid Henderson’s tag with the infielder throwing to first, thinking that the runner would be called out for being out of the baseline.
—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
Cars intentionally swerved close to spook him, sending him into the gravel more than once.
—
Christina Ray Stanton,
Time,
2 June 2026
At one point, the suspect allegedly swerved again into the wrong direction -- right at an oncoming big rig.
—
Cecilio Padilla,
CBS News,
15 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swerved
Verb
-
The California Highway Patrol report shows that a driver veered into Shawn Jordan, 18, on Walerga Road in the early evening of June 15, 2024.
-
However, while making his ascent, the experienced hiker veered off the trail and ultimately slipped and fell to his death.
Verb
-
This Samsung curved gaming monitor has a wide-reaching 49-inch and 1000R screen that'll envelope your entire field-of-view, providing unparalleled immersion.
-
If choosing a pair without a headband, consider a model that has curved temples or a frame made of rubber.
Verb
-
And the floor at the top is gently arched, which is pretty cool.
-
Iceland emerged much later when a plume of unusually hot mantle rock arched the ridge up above the gathering waves.
Verb
-
The one state that deviated from this was Kentucky, which chose red velvet as its favorite cake.
-
In 2023, Middleton deviated from her usual pastels in an emerald green ensemble.
Verb
-
The brain benefits keeping players hooked Mahjong’s appeal isn’t only sentimental.
-
But the premise and particulars provide enough novelty to keep you hooked, and their brilliant chemistry enlivens their 19th century scenario with big, hearty laughs.
Verb
-
The pendulum never really swung away from maximizing shareholder value.
-
The turnover swung the momentum in Minnesota’s favor.
Verb
-
Cameras were poised at every side of AJ Dybantsa’s table, where the Brigham Young forward sat with his elbows resting on his knees and head bowed.
-
His supporters rewarded him with a landslide victory, then held their tongues as the Conservative leader bowed to rancorous calls to resign amid the Partygate scandal after three years in office.
Verb
-
Within days of the pool being refilled in early June, the water had turned green and algae-clouded amid a heat wave in Washington, DC that saw temperatures reach 100 degrees.
-
All the whistles, reviews and ejections turned the final period into an absolute marathon.
Cite this Entry
“Swerved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swerved. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
