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
Aerial footage of the pursuit showed the driver in a gray SUV swerving through lanes on the northbound 101 Freeway, using the shoulder lanes to get around other vehicles and traveling at a high rate of speed.
—
Cbs La Staff, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
While driving the five miles home, she was recorded tailgating other vehicles, swerving off the road and crossing over into the on-coming lane, according to the Daily Mail.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2026
Meghan took to social media Thursday, April 2, to share a video of her husband and their son Prince Archie, 6, swerving down the slopes.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
Police said Woods at the time was attempting to a pass a pressure cleaner truck, eventually swerving in a bid to avoid a collision.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2026
Authorities said the group’s behavior leading up to the incident was dangerous and escalating, with riders swerving through traffic, approaching moving vehicles and pedestrians, and in some cases intentionally riding at oncoming cars.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Those ubiquitous ride companies have reduced the scourge of drunk drivers swerving on our roads and taking the lives of others.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 21 Mar. 2026
The genre-swerving approach mirrored the spirit of Cheetos® Flamin’ Hot® Dill Pickle — an unexpected pairing that delivers something spicy.
—Walaa Elsiddig, Billboard, 17 Mar. 2026
Cbs La Staff, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
While driving the five miles home, she was recorded tailgating other vehicles, swerving off the road and crossing over into the on-coming lane, according to the Daily Mail.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2026
Meghan took to social media Thursday, April 2, to share a video of her husband and their son Prince Archie, 6, swerving down the slopes.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
Police said Woods at the time was attempting to a pass a pressure cleaner truck, eventually swerving in a bid to avoid a collision.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2026
Authorities said the group’s behavior leading up to the incident was dangerous and escalating, with riders swerving through traffic, approaching moving vehicles and pedestrians, and in some cases intentionally riding at oncoming cars.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Those ubiquitous ride companies have reduced the scourge of drunk drivers swerving on our roads and taking the lives of others.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 21 Mar. 2026
The genre-swerving approach mirrored the spirit of Cheetos® Flamin’ Hot® Dill Pickle — an unexpected pairing that delivers something spicy.
—Walaa Elsiddig, Billboard, 17 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swerving
Verb
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Hungary, a major net recipient of EU funds, had come under increasing criticism for veering away from democratic norms.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
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The incident occurred during landing, with the plane veering off a road and crashing into a rock.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The mattress's latex core has a five-zone structure that provides varying levels of firmness tailored to support different areas of your body — with the most enhanced support in the mid-section to prevent your back from curving or sagging.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
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Hiding in a labyrinth of gardens and more than 50 art installations, private bungalows and three-bedroom villas with freshwater pools overlook Crete’s curving, mountainous coastline.—
Yulia Denisyuk,
Robb Report,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Video from the area caught a person in gray sweatpants and a black hoodie bending over a cardboard box and appearing to pull out a small puppy.—
Alexandra Simon,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
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Following the astronomical success of his genre-bending period film, Mendonça Filho’s inbox is filled to the brim with meeting requests and scripts.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In Wacksman’s view, most people would benefit more from taking unexpected jobs or out-of-wheelhouse projects, rather than tying themselves to a strict, linear career path and never deviating.—
Ashton Jackson,
CNBC,
14 Apr. 2026
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Accordingly, the warring factions have competed to depict themselves as the true embodiment of MAGA and paint their rivals as undermining Trump or deviating from his precepts.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The plant is a clump-forming fern with arching stems.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
10 Apr. 2026
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The permanent exhibit includes a full-scale replica of the Nihonbashi Bridge, an arching wooden structure that once joined the five roads to Edo at the gate to the capital.—
Jessica Kozuka,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In February, O’Neil told the Financial Times that LIV was five to ten years away from turning a profit.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
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In North Hollywood, a group of neighbors has banded together, turning their daily dog walking into impromptu neighborhood watches.—
Austin Turner,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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One key to detecting bites and hooking cool-water crappies lies in understanding the way the fish feed.—
Cory Schmidt,
Outdoor Life,
15 Apr. 2026
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For example, when Athena hits a step or an obstacle, the front flippers extend forward and upward, hooking onto the ledge before pulling up the rest of the robot and stabilizing it.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swerving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swerving. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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