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veer

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of veer

1 to change one's course or direction

  • at this point the river veers to the southwest before finally emptying into the Atlantic Ocean
Synonyms of veer

detour, deviate, diverge, sheer, swerve, swing, turn, turn off, wheel
Words Related to veer

tack, zigzag

double (back), turn back

2 to change the course or direction of (something)

  • veered the ship abruptly to the right to avoid a collision
Synonyms of veer

deflect, divert, redirect, swing, turn, wheel, whip
Words Related to veer

avert, deviate, move, rechannel, shift, shunt, sidetrack, swerve, switch, transfer

swivel, twist, whirl, zigzag

bend, curve, sway

reverse, turn back

3 to depart abruptly from a straight line or course

  • without warning the car veered to the left and into an oncoming truck
Synonyms of veer

break, cut, sheer, swerve, yaw, zag, zig
Words Related to veer

skew, slew (also slue)

arc, arch, bend, bow, crook, curve, hook, round, sweep, wheel

about-face, pivot

circle, coil, curl, loop, spiral

turn, twist, wind

weave, zigzag

deviate, stray, wander, waver
Antonyms of veer

straighten

Synonym Discussion of veer

swerve, veer, deviate, depart, digress, diverge mean to turn aside from a straight course. swerve may suggest a physical, mental, or moral turning away from a given course, often with abruptness.
    • swerved to avoid hitting the dog
veer implies a major change in direction.
    • at that point the path veers to the right
deviate implies a turning from a customary or prescribed course.
    • never deviated from her daily routine
depart suggests a deviation from a traditional or conventional course or type.
    • occasionally departs from his own guidelines
digress applies to a departing from the subject of one's discourse.
    • a professor prone to digress
diverge may equal depart but usually suggests a branching of a main path into two or more leading in different directions.
    • after school their paths diverged

Learn More about veer

  1. See words that rhyme with veer Dictionary: Definition of veer Spanish Central: Translation of veer Nglish: Translation of veer for Spanish speakers

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