1
as in to veer
to depart abruptly from a straight line or course
the car swerved sharply to avoid the squirrel in the road
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to bend
to cause to turn away from a straight line
a dog dashed out in front of me and made me swerve my bike to one side of the bike path
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 swerve
In 2023, about 20 hives of honeybees toppled from a truck in Canada as the driver swerved to avoid a deer.
—
Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 June 2025
That could include speeding, running a red light, swerving, or possible DWI behavior.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 June 2025
The approaching line of low-flying Canadas swerved abruptly and, apparently just out of range, swung across my front.
—Nash Buckingham, Outdoor Life, 19 June 2025
Kill swerved his squad to the left, stopped in the 900 block of Euclid Street and took cover under the driver compartment.
—Kathryn Kovalenko, Twin Cities, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for swerve
Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 June 2025
That could include speeding, running a red light, swerving, or possible DWI behavior.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 June 2025
The approaching line of low-flying Canadas swerved abruptly and, apparently just out of range, swung across my front.
—Nash Buckingham, Outdoor Life, 19 June 2025
Kill swerved his squad to the left, stopped in the 900 block of Euclid Street and took cover under the driver compartment.
—Kathryn Kovalenko, Twin Cities, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for swerve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swerve
Verb
-
Police said that Heriot's car veered off the road and rolled over at about 6:45 p.m. local time, the outlets reported.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
21 July 2025
-
Conservatives should realize how Gunn veers into supporting open borders.—
Armond White,
National Review,
18 July 2025
Verb
-
Enjoying an excellent day in front of a vociferous home support at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, the 36-year-old found himself in a spot of bother when his tee shot at the par-four 11th curved into the rough on the right of the fairway.—
Jack Bantock,
CNN Money,
19 July 2025
-
Most storms that form off Florida’s east coast tend to track north or northeast along the Atlantic, often curving away from the U.S. mainland.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Austin American Statesman,
15 July 2025
Verb
-
Kevin Hassett, director of the White House’s National Economic Council and seen as a front-runner to be Powell’s successor, has also slammed the Fed for its renovation project, but he’s stopped short of saying the central bank should bend to Trump’s will.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
14 July 2025
-
If the White man stands for innovation, grit, and not bending to PC nonsense, count me in.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
For one thing, AI currently lacks the creativity, intuition or adaptability needed to deftly handle any emergency that deviates from historical flight data.—
Mark Fischetti,
Scientific American,
21 July 2025
-
Because the river winds, the streets accessing the docks in Lincoln Yards had to deviate in their headings.—
F.K. Plous,
Chicago Tribune,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
Li Kun, a resident in Beijing eyeing a model by Chinese electric vehicle maker XPeng, said he was immediately hooked after a salesperson called him about new subsidies.—
Elaine Yu,
CNBC,
21 July 2025
-
Once Gorges learned about this botanical feat, she was hooked.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
17 July 2025
Verb
-
Brock just turned 7 and was going for his first camp experience.—
Janelle Griffith,
People.com,
15 July 2025
-
That turned into a backlash from within Trump's MAGA base when the DOJ and the FBI then stated in a memo there would be no new investigations of uncharged third parties.—
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 July 2025
Verb
-
It is best observed from dark sky locations far from bright city lights, and appears as a faint, cloud-like band arching across the sky toward the south.—
John Tufts,
The Courier-Journal,
11 July 2025
-
The gracefully arching evergreen foliage is edged in golden yellow, perfect for brightening shady gardens or porch pots year-round.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer recently suggested the Houston Astros could swing a blockbuster trade deadline deal for Miami Marlins hurler Edward Cabrera in the coming days.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 July 2025
-
Never did Nick Kurtz consider this, not as a young boy learning to swing left-handed in Lancaster, Pa., or during the charmed collegiate career that catapulted him into baseball’s consciousness.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
26 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Swerve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swerve. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share