1
as in veers
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 curves
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 bends
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of swerves
Some readers might expect an indictment of fan fiction and celebrity culture; Yi swerves, though, and creates a more searching and subversive tale of love, connection, and art.
—
Maya Chung, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2026
If one swerves, the other should race; but if one switches to racing, the other should swerve.
—Boris Babic, Fortune, 3 Jan. 2026
Yet whereas Taxi Driver ends in a sequence of redemptive carnage, First Reformed swerves in its last moments into a scene so ostentatiously at odds with everything coming before that accepting it at face value would seem to mean denying the film up to that point had anything serious to say.
—Roy Scranton
august 20, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025
Maya Chung, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2026
If one swerves, the other should race; but if one switches to racing, the other should swerve.
—Boris Babic, Fortune, 3 Jan. 2026
Yet whereas Taxi Driver ends in a sequence of redemptive carnage, First Reformed swerves in its last moments into a scene so ostentatiously at odds with everything coming before that accepting it at face value would seem to mean denying the film up to that point had anything serious to say.
—Roy Scranton
august 20, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swerves
Verb
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The second installment, which veers away significantly from Quinn's The Viscount Who Loved Me, sees Anthony caught in a good old-fashioned love triangle, with Kate's younger sister, Edwina.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
31 Jan. 2026
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But the ad also veers away from the usual Bud Light formula.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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What makes barrel jeans popular is their wide, tapered fit that curves out around the mid-leg and then cinches in at the ankle.—
India Roby,
InStyle,
16 Feb. 2026
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The path begins in Siberia, curves around the North Pole past Greenland and Iceland, then crosses Spain before ending in the Mediterranean sunset.—
Ryan Craggs,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The arc of a wrongful-conviction story bends toward exoneration and release—a flawed but heartening correction of past wrongs.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
18 Feb. 2026
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Either way, the eye bends light too strongly to see far away.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The duo particularly split over the showrunner’s plan for season three which deviates from Martin’s source material in ways that Condal has suggested were pragmatic and necessary.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Feb. 2026
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This nail look deviates from the classic saccharine pinks associated with Valentine's Day and uses a cool-toned berry shade.—
Kara Jillian Brown,
InStyle,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Instead, look to modern lattices, scallops, and arches for a timeless feel that’s still up to date.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Jan. 2026
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Note, however, the Vision XL is also essentially one big 10-in-tall block with a completely flat roof, whereas some hardshell RTTs, including the Skycamp, have roof designs with a high point that arches down toward the front and/or back.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Rai, who turns 31 on March 3, has eight wins since turning pro in 2012, including the Wyndham Championship in 2024.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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In recent years, the club has struggled out the gates before warming up as the weather turns.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Mark Lanier, a lawyer for the plaintiff, questioned Mosseri on Wednesday about whether Instagram chooses profits over the health and safety of minors and whether Mosseri oversees an app that hooks younger users.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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The cat who reaches through the kennel bars and hooks a paw around your finger.—
Cathy M. Rosenthal,
San Antonio Express-News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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One thing that has always bothered me is that the fridge sits in the back left corner of the hall-like kitchen, but the door swings open to the right.—
Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano,
The Spruce,
10 Feb. 2026
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Couvent is cultivating its own scene in the south of France, one that swings more Provence than Cote d’Azur.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swerves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swerves. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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