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
At one point during the interview, the conversation swerves into a five-minute debate about hair.
—
Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2026
The Bentley then swerves into a guardrail and careens back across the highway, creating a cloud of dirt and car parts.
—Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026
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
Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2026
The Bentley then swerves into a guardrail and careens back across the highway, creating a cloud of dirt and car parts.
—Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swerves
Verb
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Moments of physical intimacy between his protagonists are often relayed in rigid and frustratingly inexpressive language, which occasionally veers into the tiringly smutty.—
Taran Dugal,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
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While Medicube’s marketing often veers toward a younger audience, the formula itself is particularly beneficial for mature skin.—
Iman Balagam,
Vogue,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Representing a departure from the artist’s preferred medium of wood, the monument curves outward from a narrow base, its vertical form and vaguely human contours seeming to emanate light, notwithstanding the material’s heft.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
8 Mar. 2026
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Groovy Baby The color combinations on this retro stripe, which curves at the will of the nail artist, are endless.—
Audrey Noble,
Vogue,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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They’re also equipped with the brand’s Feel Good Flex outsole, which is ultra-lightweight and bends easily for convenient packing.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
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Gazes tangle, sound mutes, time bends.—
Addie Citchens,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Bernthal tells me that Guirgis’s take on Dog Day Afternoon deviates from the film in key ways, such as fleshing out some of the more minor characters, including the bank staff, and going deeper on Sonny and Sal’s dynamic.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
24 Feb. 2026
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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
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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Only one thing visually turns me off—the XRT PRO badge on the back.—
Andrew P. Collins,
The Drive,
12 Mar. 2026
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Scallops, for example, come cured in a chilli, annatto and coconut cream, and tiramisu turns an Instagrammable shade of violet with blueberries and purple yam.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
12 Mar. 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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The next big weather maker swings through the area on Tuesday, causing the chance of severe weather.—
Lauren Bostwick,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
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While the materiality swings largely, from resin to beech, the consistency of the tones gives an orderly look to the home which is very important for small spaces.—
Giada Storelli,
Architectural Digest,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swerves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swerves. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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