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 new album compiles 14 recordings from his 2024 world tour of the same name, swerving away from the rock and synth-pop of 2024's GAMMA back to driving four-on-the-floor.
—
Pitchfork, 23 Jan. 2026
Upon our arrival to Wilderness Vumbura Plains, our guide, Kabo, skillfully navigates the Jeep between sandy hills and flooded grasslands, occasionally swerving to avoid tree trunks chewed down to their stumps by elephants.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Quarterback Nico Iamaleava ran for his life from the get-go of the 2025 season, swerving his way for big gains by using his legs instead of receiving the time to sit in the pocket and make plays happen with the passing game.
—Benjamin Royer, Daily News, 20 Jan. 2026
According to the law, 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, 12 Jan. 2026
According to DiMartino, initial investigations indicate that the motorcyclist lost control of his bike while trying to navigate a curve in the road, swerving off the street and into a fatal collision with a light pole.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 25 Dec. 2025
There was reportedly no horseplay or swerving during the ride, according to 9News.
—Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
Photograph by Larry Salzman / AP Nelson kept swerving.
—Alex Abramovich, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
In 2023, she was hospitalized after crashing her bike while swerving to avoid a truck, and she had also been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 19 Dec. 2025
Pitchfork, 23 Jan. 2026
Upon our arrival to Wilderness Vumbura Plains, our guide, Kabo, skillfully navigates the Jeep between sandy hills and flooded grasslands, occasionally swerving to avoid tree trunks chewed down to their stumps by elephants.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Quarterback Nico Iamaleava ran for his life from the get-go of the 2025 season, swerving his way for big gains by using his legs instead of receiving the time to sit in the pocket and make plays happen with the passing game.
—Benjamin Royer, Daily News, 20 Jan. 2026
According to the law, 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, 12 Jan. 2026
According to DiMartino, initial investigations indicate that the motorcyclist lost control of his bike while trying to navigate a curve in the road, swerving off the street and into a fatal collision with a light pole.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 25 Dec. 2025
There was reportedly no horseplay or swerving during the ride, according to 9News.
—Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
Photograph by Larry Salzman / AP Nelson kept swerving.
—Alex Abramovich, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
In 2023, she was hospitalized after crashing her bike while swerving to avoid a truck, and she had also been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 19 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swerving
Verb
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Just try veering right or left, get your wheels stuck, and that’s the end of you.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
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The gold stitching subtly enhanced my silhouette, while the color—a deep, saturated blue—read darker than most washes without ever veering into black.—
Mecca Pryor,
Essence,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The animal's tail is usually held up, with the tip curving downward, and its legs are equally lengthened.—
Jonathan Limehouse,
USA Today,
10 Jan. 2026
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At first glance, the choker reprises the incisions and delicately curving edges meant to evoke Chanel’s distinctive quilting, with a sliding clasp closure to adjust it closely to the neck.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
4 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The film, which had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival last fall, is a genre-bending portrait of singer, songwriter and beloved artist Marianne Faithfull.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Jan. 2026
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Weeks later and about 90 blocks south, fellow Tony winner Matthew Broderick began playing the pious con man that causes holy hell in Lucas Hnath and Sarah Benson’s gender-bending revival.—
Karu F. Daniels,
New York Daily News,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Not deviating from those standards is equally important.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
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The resolution would authorize the state to redraw its congressional district maps in the middle of the 10-year cycle, deviating from the current practice of redistricting only after the federal census every 10 years.—
Center Square,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Pull your stomach inward toward the spine and hold this position without sagging hips or arching your back.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
13 Jan. 2026
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Shiny and dark evergreen foliage is held aloft on strong, arching stems mottled with purple flecks.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
21 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Plus, its Emerald Green paint makes for a head-turning vehicle.—
Marc D. Grasso,
Boston Herald,
22 Jan. 2026
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The actor also had run-ins with the law, including an arrest in May 2023 after turning his car off in the middle of a three-lane road.—
Daniel S. Levine,
PEOPLE,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Also mentioned is an auto-hitch system to simplify hooking it up to the tow vehicle.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
5 Jan. 2026
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The great Amazon in its north drains large areas as does the Parana-River Plate watershed to its south that reaches the Atlantic in the estuary between Argentina and Uruguay, The San Francisco flows north for hundreds of miles before hooking a right and dropping to the Atlantic.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
4 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swerving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swerving. Accessed 26 Jan. 2026.
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