Synonyms of veer

veer 1 of 2

verb

ˈvir 

1

as in to deviate

to change one's course or direction

at this point the river veers to the southwest before finally emptying into the Atlantic Ocean

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deviate
• turn
• swing
• diverge
• sheer
• swerve
• wheel
• detour
• turn off
• tack
• turn back
• double (back)
• zigzag

2

as in to turn

to change the course or direction of (something)

veered the ship abruptly to the right to avoid a collision

Synonyms & Similar Words

• turn
• swing
• divert
• whip
• deflect
• redirect
• shift
• deviate
• move
• wheel
• avert
• swerve
• whirl
• switch
• curve
• sway
• sidetrack
• twist
• reverse
• swivel
• transfer
• bend
• shunt
• turn back
• rechannel
• zigzag

3

as in to swerve

to depart abruptly from a straight line or course

without warning the car veered to the left and into an oncoming truck

Synonyms & Similar Words

• swerve
• turn
• cut
• curve
• wander
• zag
• sheer
• circle
• zig
• yaw
• bow
• break
• sweep
• bend
• arch
• skew
• weave
• arc
• deviate
• curl
• twist
• round
• pivot
• slew
• wheel
• loop
• hook
• stray
• spiral
• wind
• crook
• waver
• zigzag
• coil
• about-face

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• straighten

veer

2 of 2

noun

as in turn

Related Words

• turn
• twist
• bend
• tilt
• list
• tip
• inclination
• cock
• angling
• dip
• bow
• nod

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb veer contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of veer are depart, deviate, digress, diverge, and swerve. While all these words mean "to turn aside from a straight course," veer implies a major change in direction.

at that point the path veers to the right

When would depart be a good substitute for veer?

While in some cases nearly identical to veer, depart suggests a deviation from a traditional or conventional course or type.

occasionally departs from his own guidelines

When could deviate be used to replace veer?

The synonyms deviate and veer are sometimes interchangeable, but deviate implies a turning from a customary or prescribed course.

never deviated from her daily routine

In what contexts can digress take the place of veer?

Although the words digress and veer have much in common, digress applies to a departing from the subject of one's discourse.

a professor prone to digress

How do diverge and depart relate to one another, in the sense of veer?

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

When might swerve be a better fit than veer?

The words swerve and veer are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, swerve may suggest a physical, mental, or moral turning away from a given course, often with abruptness.

swerved to avoid hitting the dog

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of veer

Verb

The vehicle veered off the highway and crashed into the American River, said Officer Andrew Brown, a spokesperson for the CHP’s Placerville office. —Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 27 May 2026

The instruction to avoid aiding the user in self-destructive behavior is only a guideline, and the AI might veer from this stipulation. —Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026

Noun

The Horned Frogs had a mix of air raid and veer-and-shoot principles under Briles, but are expected to move more to a pro-style scheme under Sammis, who had excellent success with that style of offense at UConn. —Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Mar. 2026

Even so, Newsom couldn’t help but veer left on racial politics, getting himself into hot water for stoking talk of slavery reparations in California, then having to spin his way out of it by saying reparations are about more than just dollars and cents when some monetary estimates came up. —Sal Rodriguez, Oc Register, 24 Feb. 2026