veer 1 of 2

verb

ˈvir How to pronounce veer (audio)
Definition of veernext
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

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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
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

veer

2 of 2

noun

as in turn

Related Words

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

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 veer
Verb
Our other recipe for cowboy beans veers into main dish territory, thanks to the addition of ground beef. —Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 June 2025 Lippert and Broe’s script veers into more prosaic territory as Johan gets desperate and starts over-compensating, for instance by dipping into the door takings at Adonis to help pay for William’s surgery. —David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 27 June 2025
Noun
Madison Ruiz, 21, was sitting alongside a curb at the parking lot of the arcade on July 13 around 12:30 a.m. near Erskine St. and Gateway Drive in East New York when Zachary Cando, 24, driving a 2023 Genesis G80, veered and struck Ruiz. —Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 15 July 2025 The government is faced with a balancing act — appeasing companies as well as the unions that help support the party financially; appealing to its traditional left-wing base while trying to win over Conservative supporters and voters who may be veering toward the populist Reform UK party. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for veer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for veer
  1. deviate
  2. turn
  3. swerve
  4. twist
  5. swing
  6. cut
  7. bend
  8. divert
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
Definition of deviate
Verb
  • Then, as the century turned, the boys were pushed aside by rough young men.
    — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 15 July 2025
  • But the show has also increasingly thrived on the odd-couple chemistry between co-creator Downs, who plays Hollywood’s gentlest manager, and breakout star Stalter as his assistant turned partner.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 15 July 2025
Definition of turn
Verb
  • Video shot by an unidentified drier behind the Jeep shows the Doberman being dragged for an unspecified time as the vehicle swerved along the roadway.
    — Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 9 July 2025
  • Bevan swerved several times into Jackson’s lane but did not hit Jackson’s vehicle, according to court documents.
    — Corina Vanek, AZCentral.com, 3 July 2025
Definition of swerve
Noun
  • The season ends with one last shocking twist: Kyle runs Sophie off the road and threatens her.
    — Allison DeGrushe Published, EW.com, 23 July 2025
  • The space is decorated with portraits and artwork of old Air Force imagery which invites guests back in time to an era of classic diners and jukeboxes, but with a modern twist.
    — Endia Fontanez, AZCentral.com, 23 July 2025
Definition of twist
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
Definition of swing
Verb
  • The National Endowment for the Humanities cut the grant this spring.
    — Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 22 July 2025
  • The Oak Ridge Boys, Reba McEntire, Jeannie C. Riley, Connie Smith and the duo of Charlie Louvin and Melba Montgomery were among the acts who cut her songs.
    — Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 22 July 2025
Definition of cut
Noun
  • It has been used for decades to treat divers suffering from decompression sickness, known as the bends, and can be used to help treat several other conditions, such as tissue infections and poisoning, according to the Mayo Clinic.
    — Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 14 July 2025
  • The usually serene bend of the Guadalupe River in Kerr County rapidly transformed into a torrent of destruction in the early hours of July 4.
    — Josh Campbell, CNN Money, 12 July 2025
Definition of bend
Verb
  • Critics of President Donald Trump have claimed that the release is an effort to divert attention from the Jeffrey Epstein controversy.
    — Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
  • With 90% from demolition and 10% from construction, these materials could be diverted from the landfill and sold.
    — Linda Thompson Gonzalez, Sun Sentinel, 20 July 2025
Definition of divert

Browse Nearby Words

veejays
veer
veered
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Cite this Entry

“Veer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/veer. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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