veered

verb

past tense of veer
1
as in deviated
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

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2
as in swung
to change the course or direction of (something) veered the ship abruptly to the right to avoid a collision

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in swerved
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of veered When the replacement arrived, the new cotton felt stiff, less breathable, and one side seam veered off at an angle, pulling the fabric awkwardly around my body. — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026 On the way back, a vehicle in the convoy veered off the road and fell into a ravine. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026 Though Tuesday’s green veered more forest and emerald-oriented, both the McQueen coat and Middleton’s Victoria Beckham suited style from Thursday showcased the range of green tones the British royal keeps on hand for her public engagements. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026 As Sony's lineup of portable audio devices has evolved over the years, it's veered towards more discerning listeners. — New Atlas, 19 Oct. 2026 After impact, the motorcycle veered off the right side of the highway through the gore of the exit ramp and into the rest area’s grassy median. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 13 Oct. 2026 Family members of the 39-year-old woman who was killed when a car veered off the road and into a Whittier burger restaurant earlier this week held a vigil to honor their lost loved one on Wednesday. — Nicole Comstock, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026 The vehicle veered off the road into multiple rocks on Saturday along Highway 1 near Deer Creek. — Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026 The vehicle Odom was driving veered into the eastbound lanes and struck another vehicle before crashing head-on into Schupp’s pickup truck. — Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for veered
  1. deviated
  2. swung
  3. swerved
  4. turned
  5. whipped
  6. cut
  7. circled
  8. wandered
Verb
  • These records deviated from Deerhunter’s shoegaze and krautrock leanings, placing a greater emphasis on sampling and wall-of-sound pop.
    — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 30 Oct. 2026
  • But over time, due to a variety of systems issues with obtaining certain medications, the lethal injection protocol has deviated from the standard devised by Chapman.
    — M. Sara Rosenthal, STAT, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of deviated
Verb
  • The New York Times estimates all voters swung about 15 points toward Democrats compared to 2024, helping the party flip seats in deep red states like Texas and South Carolina.
    — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Prices for the commodity have been volatile over the past few years as supplies swung dramatically one season to the next, with climate change, water scarcity, and pest and disease playing a role.
    — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of swung
Verb
  • On the third pass, the husband swerved finally into the parking lot.
    — Téa Obreht, New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The truck driver swerved to the right to avoid the stopped vehicle, and struck the driver who was standing outside.
    — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of swerved
Verb
  • The ambush-style attack turned into an eight-hour standoff with law enforcement.
    — Michael McGough, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The Chiefs entered 2026 hoping to rebound from a 6-11 season and return to the Super Bowl conversation, but their loss to Denver has turned simply winning the division into a dogfight.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of turned
Verb
  • The Falcons’ starting quarterback twirled a black string around his finger, then violently whipped it down after his first interception.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Brown became the leader of the House Trade Working Group, a caucus of Democratic representatives opposed to free-trade agreements who whipped votes on those deals.
    — Dan Kaufman, New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of whipped
Verb
  • Jovany Barragan’s second field goal — a 35-yarder on an untimed down — cut Serra’s deficit to 21-6 at halftime.
    — Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The verdict came just three days after regulators seized Ueno Bank, cutting nearly 3 million customers off from their savings and bank cards and setting off a political crisis.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of cut
Verb
  • Fittingly, the presentation featured models walking a path that circled around 10 horses inside a riding hall in the Bois de Boulogne.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
  • In Paris on Monday night, a police helicopter circled over Place de la Republique overnight, a central point in the weekend clashes, sweeping the square with a searchlight to check that the curfew was being observed.
    — Tom Nouvian, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of circled
Verb
  • The descendants of the miners’ burros wandered back down from the hills to find a curious audience willing to feed them.
    — Harry Bruinius, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Oct. 2026
  • In an office, people wandered into meetings early and talked about their weekend before anyone got to the agenda.
    — Lynn Godfrey, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of wandered

Browse Nearby Words

veer
veered
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Cite this Entry

“Veered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/veered. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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