1
as in veering
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 curving
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 bending
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 deviating
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 swerving
The first season of Origins ended in a cliffhanger; Lala (Mariel Molino) was seriously injured in a car accident after swerving to avoid a child.
—
The Deadline Tv Team, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025
When the officers attempted to pull over the BMW, the car sped off and made other unsafe driving maneuvers such as swerving around other cars and running a stop sign.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Sep. 2025
Other cars are seen swerving into other lanes to avoid a collision.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
Fabian Cruz Licona was arrested on May 26 by California Highway Patrol officers who observed him swerving in and out of his lane, according to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.
—Bay City News Service, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2025
That criminal complaint said police attempted to pull Iversen over after receiving reports of a driver passing in a no passing zone, passing on the shoulder, speeding, swerving and nearly rear-ending other vehicles.
—Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 12 Aug. 2025
In that case, the agency’s South Sacramento office stated that the driver was stopped after swerving and nearly crashing multiple times.
—Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2025
The Deadline Tv Team, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025
When the officers attempted to pull over the BMW, the car sped off and made other unsafe driving maneuvers such as swerving around other cars and running a stop sign.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Sep. 2025
Other cars are seen swerving into other lanes to avoid a collision.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
Fabian Cruz Licona was arrested on May 26 by California Highway Patrol officers who observed him swerving in and out of his lane, according to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.
—Bay City News Service, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2025
That criminal complaint said police attempted to pull Iversen over after receiving reports of a driver passing in a no passing zone, passing on the shoulder, speeding, swerving and nearly rear-ending other vehicles.
—Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 12 Aug. 2025
In that case, the agency’s South Sacramento office stated that the driver was stopped after swerving and nearly crashing multiple times.
—Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swerving
Verb
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Imagine Maye triggering a triple-option run with Stevenson, keeping the ball and veering off the edge with Henderson behind him.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
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Without this alignment, these organizations risk mission drift, the default setting of veering further and further off course from their ultimate destination.—
Bhakti Mirchandani,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Along the Corniche—a sweeping waterfront promenade curving around the bay—traditional dhows drift past a shimmering skyline of minarets and sculptural skyscrapers.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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Here, miles away from the nearest public road, a small canyon carves into curving limestone.—
Eva Frederick,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The approach is complemented by heavy use of the Estevez brothers’ childhood Super 8 movies, genre-bending DIY productions that Charlie notes often bore similarities to the movies their father was making at the time.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Sep. 2025
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After an incredible post-pandemic run, the once seemingly unbreakable American economy is bending.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In photos of the pair smooching at midnight, fans quickly recognized the iconic architecture, namely the gold, arching ceilings.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
26 Aug. 2025
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The effect can be like stepping into a bubble of serenity through a portal of elegant silhouettes, gracefully arching doors, textured walls, or ethereal installations.—
Kathryn Romeyn,
Architectural Digest,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The crowd takes it all in wearing headphones with green lights, turning the night into a kind of silent disco in a scene straight out of Mad Max.—
David Hochman,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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The Andante cantabile offers benevolence tinged with shadow, its harmonies turning suddenly ominous.—
Sheila Regan,
Twin Cities,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Swerving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swerving. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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