as in to veer
to depart abruptly from a straight line or course
the ship yawed hard to the right when the rogue wave hit it broadside
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Recent Examples of yaw
The plane yawed left and right, dipped and climbed to avoid the flocks, churning my stomach like a roller coaster.
—
Smithsonian Magazine, 10 July 2023
Combining that data with a simple wind model, the algorithm projected that yawing each of the five upstream turbines about 20 degrees to the north would maximize the group's generation from the northwest winds.
—IEEE Spectrum, 14 Mar. 2023
The vertical stabilizer or rudder enables sideways yawing movement (and helps counter-act such movement from crosswinds) while horizontal stabilizers help pitch the aircraft up or down.
—Sebastien Roblin, Popular Mechanics, 16 Feb. 2023
Air was not flowing smoothly over the F-14's wings while it was configured for landing, creating an opportunity for the plane to suddenly yaw left or right.
—Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 15 Aug. 2017
See All Example Sentences for yaw
Smithsonian Magazine, 10 July 2023
Combining that data with a simple wind model, the algorithm projected that yawing each of the five upstream turbines about 20 degrees to the north would maximize the group's generation from the northwest winds.
—IEEE Spectrum, 14 Mar. 2023
The vertical stabilizer or rudder enables sideways yawing movement (and helps counter-act such movement from crosswinds) while horizontal stabilizers help pitch the aircraft up or down.
—Sebastien Roblin, Popular Mechanics, 16 Feb. 2023
Air was not flowing smoothly over the F-14's wings while it was configured for landing, creating an opportunity for the plane to suddenly yaw left or right.
—Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 15 Aug. 2017
See All Example Sentences for yaw
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yaw
Verb
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With more than 1 million people on the podcast’s YouTube channel, the conversation veered between Swift’s discussion of her new album, her journey to becoming a football fan and a closer look inside her relationship with Kelce.—
H. Vanbiber,
New York Times,
14 Aug. 2025
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Every now and then the bright lights of gas stations and truck stops veered into view, signaling food, rest, a break from the grey monotony of the highway.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Dozens of storms have traveled north offshore, often curving completely away from the coast without making landfall in the mainland United States or in Canada, but some leave damage in their wakes, in the form of erosion, coastal flooding and even deaths from rough seas.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
16 Aug. 2025
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Her blonde locks were styled into tight barrel curls, while her bangs curved outward to the sides of her face.—
Starr Bowenbank,
People.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Yaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yaw. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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