veers 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of veer
1
as in deviates
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

Relevance
2
as in turns
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 swerves
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

veers

2 of 2

noun

plural of veer
as in twists

Related Words

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 veers
Verb
Sentiment analysis can show where your language veers away from job criteria alone, and flag contradictions in your reasoning. — Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 Instead, Orton leans into the immersive, dreamy sounds of Weather Alive to craft a new album that veers more closely toward late-night jazz clubs than music for the spacey set. — David Harris, SPIN, 29 June 2026 That last flavor is augmented by the whiskey’s higher proof, which veers toward burn but pulls back at the last minute. — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 28 June 2026 Check out this 1997 live TV version of Paranoid Android, which veers from lullaby to apocalypse within the space of a few minutes. — New Atlas, 30 May 2026 But Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed almost immediately veers off into wild subplots about murder, corruption, and corporate malfeasance, as if to emphasize that low-level romance scams are just the tip of the internet’s fetid iceberg. — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 20 May 2026 Essie’s Mint Candy Apple captures that creamy green-blue finish, while Essie's Turquoise and Caicos veers more sage-esque in color. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026 Indeed, its approach often veers from intriguing to grating at times. — Charles Lewis Iii, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026 But the discussion veers wildly. — Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for veers
  1. deviates
  2. turns
  3. swerves
  4. twists
  5. swings
  6. wanders
  7. bends
  8. diverts
Verb
  • According to the distillery, the whiskey is made using the same distillation and barrel-entry proof as the core bourbon, but then deviates from there.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 7 July 2026
  • The Washington Post spoke to seven current and former National Park Service staffers who said the policy deviates from the agency’s long-standing approach to release as much information as possible.
    — Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Definition of deviates
Verb
  • The money can’t be accessed until the child turns 18, and only then for specific purposes, such as going to school, opening a business or buying a home.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026
  • Whereas a proper pull-up requires an overhand grip, swapping to an underhand hold turns the exercise into what less strenuous alternative?
    — Drew Goins, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026
Definition of turns
Verb
  • The elegant staging tries to compensate, but the performers have to rely a little too heavily on their own charms to make up the difference in a play that swerves unexpectedly at the end into a cutesy fairy tale.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
  • At times comical, each of these stories swerves and plunges deep into dark truths of human nature.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
Definition of swerves
Noun
  • As fans of the series know well by now, every episode of Outer Banks is packed to the gills with twists, turns, motorcycle chases, police standoffs, knife fights, high-stakes heists, and more.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 29 July 2026
  • Save the tedious paperwork for the IRS, and leave the mysteries, suspense, and plot twists to Agatha Christie.
    — Jamie Merisotis, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of twists
Verb
  • Thus, if the balance of justice comes up even ― the parties' positions are exactly 50/50 in merit ― the courts will ever so slightly put their finger on the creditor's side so that the balance swings in the creditor's favor.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
  • Whether the issue is autism, AI, or something else, MAHA swings at anything and everything.
    — Craig Spencer, The Atlantic, 25 July 2026
Definition of swings
Verb
  • In this adaptation by the author of The Handmaid’s Tale, Penelope wanders the underworld, spinning her own version of events — a chronicle filled with lust, greed and murder.
    — Janey Wetzel, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026
  • As Odysseus wanders from place to place, discovering the foreign customs and attitudes of each one, the story explores the concept of home, asking what kind of civilization is appropriate for an authentic human being.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026
Definition of wanders
Noun
  • The course then winds through a series of bends before leading drivers onto 7th Street.
    — Mike Stunson, USA Today, 20 July 2026
  • Voros kept one camera permanently stationed at the highest point of the surrounding hillside; the early episodes are built on stark, isolating compositions where a single figure is dwarfed by snowcapped peaks and river bends.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 July 2026
Definition of bends
Verb
  • The attempt by former HFPA members to leverage the Golden Globe Foundation, an independent nonprofit, simply to secure Golden Globes tickets is an unfortunate distraction that inappropriately diverts resources from legitimate charitable causes.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 28 July 2026
  • An Israeli military official said such violence by Israelis diverts the defense force’s attention from its primary mission of defense and counterterrorism in a complex environment.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 27 July 2026
Definition of diverts

Browse Nearby Words

veeringly
veers
vegan
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Veers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/veers. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on veers

Nglish: Translation of veers for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of spindrift

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All