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
In many ways, returning to speculative storytelling has felt like a homecoming to Gilligan, even as swerving away from crime presents a chance to expand his legacy.
—
Judy Berman, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
Buses are larger, less capable of swerving, and take longer to brake, but bus drivers are also far more likely to drive cautiously and avoid speeding, said Toronto.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 20 Oct. 2025
After she and Austin Stowell‘s Gibbs almost locked lips during the show’s special version of Adult Swim, Lala was seriously injured in a car accident while swerving to avoid a child.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025
In Los Angeles, one of the first major cities where Serve robots deployed, a man with cerebral palsy filmed a bot repeatedly swerving in his path and blocking the sidewalk, eventually resulting in a collision with his mobility scooter.
—Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
Big rigs and cars swerving outta the way not to hit her.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 21 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
Judy Berman, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
Buses are larger, less capable of swerving, and take longer to brake, but bus drivers are also far more likely to drive cautiously and avoid speeding, said Toronto.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 20 Oct. 2025
After she and Austin Stowell‘s Gibbs almost locked lips during the show’s special version of Adult Swim, Lala was seriously injured in a car accident while swerving to avoid a child.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025
In Los Angeles, one of the first major cities where Serve robots deployed, a man with cerebral palsy filmed a bot repeatedly swerving in his path and blocking the sidewalk, eventually resulting in a collision with his mobility scooter.
—Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
Big rigs and cars swerving outta the way not to hit her.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 21 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swerving
Verb
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It’s made with a soft, cozy knit, but the sleek silhouette keeps it from veering into lazy-day territory.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
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The comedy is a tonal mess, veering between underdeveloped jokes and unearned sentiment.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Other standout features include a custom brass kitchen and a curving brass staircase to match.—
Mekita Rivas,
Architectural Digest,
7 Nov. 2025
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So much of Brazil strains the imagination—the interminable skyline of São Paulo, the beaches of Rio curving between monoliths of granite, the aquamarine pools trapped between the undulating dunes of Lençóis Maranhenses.—
William O'Connor,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Keeping your heels on the ground, lift your toes toward your shins without bending your knees.—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
4 Nov. 2025
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Blending genre-bending humor with social satire, the show examines modern life, dating, and identity through an inventive lens.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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And while that's true, the show is also its own beast, deviating greatly from King's story by weaving in military intrigue, spycraft, and Native American mythology.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
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Reagan championed free trade while selectively deviating from it, according to the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Canadian cultural mosaic, in which distinct identities exist parallel to an over-arching nationalism, further offered an alternative to the melting pot model found south of the border.—
Dónal Gill,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
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Avoid lifting too high and arching your back.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Season-defining results turning not on the ever-growing bona fide quality of the players and the performances but on farcical decision-making.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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The guy wants to create a ballroom for his rich friends while turning a blind eye to the fact that babies are going to starve when the SNAP benefits end hours from now.—
Peter Lucas,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The third came four seconds after the Bruins killed an Eyssimont hooking penalty.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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Hahn and Jeff Glaid, the WGFD biologist who conducted the study, told a room full of anglers in 2024 that if regulations didn’t change, and hooking injuries to fish — like bottom jaws torn off and severe scarring — continued, the department would have to start restocking in earnest.—
Christine Peterson,
Outdoor Life,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Swerving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swerving. Accessed 25 Nov. 2025.
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