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
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 swerving
The two drivers had been swerving between lanes and brake-checking each other before the confrontation, police said.
—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
15 June 2026
The bad news for The Bold And The Beautiful and The Young & The Restless fans is that no talent from those series will cross over to Hollywood Starlet, but Bell said the vertical series will capture the spirit of those shows, in turn swerving some less savory elements in some microdrama.
—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
14 June 2026
The pop singer makes a break for riskier, more exciting musical territory, swerving between noisy club bangers and newly subtle pop gems.
—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
2 June 2026
The law states that exhibition driving is described as operating a vehicle close to a crowd and intentionally skidding, swerving while accelerating or causing the wheels to lose contact with the ground, among other actions.
—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
When these efforts failed, the female driver began aggressively swerving from side to side in the roadway, leaving tire marks in the pavement.
—
Kristi Miller,
Twin Cities,
22 May 2026
Apart from the semi-final of Euro 2024 against the Netherlands, Foden has not been able to produce his brilliant best— his swerving style, his match-winning interventions — in international colours.
—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
The film, which is set to bow in Un Certain Regard on May 21, tumbles through tones, swerving through pitch-black humor, empathy, fury and larger-than-life moments.
—
William Earl,
Variety,
20 May 2026
Other officers then found the Tahoe heading north on South Lee’s Summit Road near East 23rd Street, allegedly swerving through traffic.
—
Kansas City Star,
19 May 2026
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
15 June 2026
The bad news for The Bold And The Beautiful and The Young & The Restless fans is that no talent from those series will cross over to Hollywood Starlet, but Bell said the vertical series will capture the spirit of those shows, in turn swerving some less savory elements in some microdrama.
—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
14 June 2026
The pop singer makes a break for riskier, more exciting musical territory, swerving between noisy club bangers and newly subtle pop gems.
—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
2 June 2026
The law states that exhibition driving is described as operating a vehicle close to a crowd and intentionally skidding, swerving while accelerating or causing the wheels to lose contact with the ground, among other actions.
—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
When these efforts failed, the female driver began aggressively swerving from side to side in the roadway, leaving tire marks in the pavement.
—
Kristi Miller,
Twin Cities,
22 May 2026
Apart from the semi-final of Euro 2024 against the Netherlands, Foden has not been able to produce his brilliant best— his swerving style, his match-winning interventions — in international colours.
—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
The film, which is set to bow in Un Certain Regard on May 21, tumbles through tones, swerving through pitch-black humor, empathy, fury and larger-than-life moments.
—
William Earl,
Variety,
20 May 2026
Other officers then found the Tahoe heading north on South Lee’s Summit Road near East 23rd Street, allegedly swerving through traffic.
—
Kansas City Star,
19 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swerving
Verb
-
Big dollars are veering into the best practices for harness engineering.
-
The blush-pink colorway and delicate bow feel feminine without veering overly precious, while the sporty sole lends a casual touch.
Verb
-
The innovative Panoramic Display consists of a 48-inch screen curving from door to door along the base of the windshield.
-
Gravitational lensing is a phenomenon that occurs when an object of great mass comes between Earth and a distant background source, curving the fabric of spacetime.
Verb
-
Create Seedling Pots DIY seedling pots are super easy to make from cardboard paper towel tubes by bending in the base of the tube to create a solid bottom and filling it with soil.
-
The midwife’s hand was a gender-bending invention of the Enlightenment, combining the intelligence and strength of a man’s touch with the sensitive delicacy of a woman’s.
Verb
-
The show is deviating from the order of Kennedy's books, which explored the romance between Logan and Grace in the second installment, The Mistake.
-
Charles Melton sweetly dedicated an award to his wife and newborn daughter, deviating from his famously private nature.
Verb
-
Choose grasses with tall, arching stems to set off the upright dahlia form.
-
Lower back discomfort or tightness might be due to arching of your back, or your back muscles tacking on too much of the work to overcompensate for a lack of hip strength or control.
Verb
-
People in their 20s and 30s are pulling chess sets, backgammon boards and mahjong tiles out of closets and grandparents’ attics, turning them into the centerpiece of their social lives.
-
While Svoboda is at least another year away from turning pro, Halttunen might be ready to make his NHL debut sometime during the 2026-27 season.
Verb
-
After referees called Wembanyama on a foul on Karl-Anthony Towns, a review determined that Towns had been the one to commit a foul, an offensive foul, by hooking Wembanyama with his arm.
-
However, the episode ends with a fisherman hooking an unknown big catch in the very lake where the billionaire's body lies.
Cite this Entry
“Swerving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swerving. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
