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
As the season swerves into Lap 2, let’s see who’s doing better (and worse) lately.
—
Levi Weaver, New York Times, 4 May 2026
Duprey then swerves and slides under a vehicle.
—Mark Prussin, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
And through all this, Saariaho’s elaborately beautiful orchestration scintillates, jabs, caresses, and swerves, giving all that vivid misery a sheen of lyric glamour.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
At first, the robot drives around a glass panel displaying an ad, but then swerves back inside the bus shelter and hits the panel without one.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026
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
Levi Weaver, New York Times, 4 May 2026
Duprey then swerves and slides under a vehicle.
—Mark Prussin, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
And through all this, Saariaho’s elaborately beautiful orchestration scintillates, jabs, caresses, and swerves, giving all that vivid misery a sheen of lyric glamour.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
At first, the robot drives around a glass panel displaying an ad, but then swerves back inside the bus shelter and hits the panel without one.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swerves
Verb
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Essie’s Mint Candy Apple captures that creamy green-blue finish, while Essie's Turquoise and Caicos veers more sage-esque in color.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
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Indeed, its approach often veers from intriguing to grating at times.—
Charles Lewis III,
Mercury News,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Page style has a narrow slingback strap, a slim stiletto heel and an open front that curves into a small, petal-like peep-toe rather than a sharp cutout.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
12 May 2026
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At the top right is the head of the dry river bed — where the life-size heron statue is — and the bed curves down to the driveway on the left.—
Caron Golden,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Most prominently was Hugh Hayden’s permanent new sculpture, a functioning chapel that ingeniously bends at an acute angle.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
8 May 2026
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Low-impact trekking and homestays offer rare access to a region where human presence still bends to nature’s terms.—
Rob Crossan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Piker’s endorsement of Mills deviates from other progressives who have thrown their support behind Platner.—
Sydney Topf,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Apr. 2026
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But then the dream deviates, and takes me to the set of Gilligan’s Island, where Bob Denver, who originally played the part of Gilligan, has been replaced by a bearded intellectual who looks like Karl Marx combined with Cesar Romero, who played the Joker on the original Batman TV show.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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According to Archer Western, HDR’s design engineers failed to properly account for wind loads — including hurricane winds — in an initial, partial design for the signature bridge arches that the contractor used to calculate construction costs and time for its bid.—
Andres Viglucci,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
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The front of the mouse arches down and spreads wide, suggesting the noggin of the snake it's named after.—
Zackery Cuevas,
PC Magazine,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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With the highest peaks running in a chain along the east side of the island, Sardinia resolutely turns its back to the mainland.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
7 May 2026
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The retailer’s latest edit turns the spotlight on Leset, the beloved label known for its effortlessly cool wardrobe staples.—
Irina Grechko,
Vogue,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Set in the late 1980s, the film follows 13-year-old Felice (an exceptional Tiziano Menichelli), a budding tennis star whose overbearing father hooks him up with Raul Getti (Favino), a flameout former pro with a new lithium prescription and a serious ladies-man streak.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
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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
Verb
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Anything less, though, swings the door open for Spurs to clinch survival at Stamford Bridge.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
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When Kenobi surrenders and Vader swings his blade through Kenobi’s chest, Kenobi disappears.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swerves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swerves. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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