1
as in lurched
to make a series of unsteady side-to-side motions
the sled careened as it barreled down the hill
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in staggered
to move forward while swaying from side to side
he careened unsteadily to the couch after hitting his head
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in sped
to proceed or move quickly
sounding its siren, an ambulance careened through the intersection
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of careened
The fatal hit-and-run occurred less than two hours after a 13-year-old boy was killed riding on the back of a moped in Queens after his friend slammed into an open car door and then careened into a moving truck.
—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
30 June 2026
The ruling comes a month after a pickup careened at more than 50 mph into a crowd of people near the intersection of 85th Avenue and International Boulevard.
—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
16 June 2026
Brunson, the Knicks’ leading scorer, pulled up with about 5 seconds left to take a 3-point shot which hit the front of the rim and careened off.
—
Tom Tapp,
Deadline,
10 June 2026
One person was seriously injured after their SUV careened into an intersection on Troost Avenue in Kansas City and hit a truck Wednesday morning, police said.
—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
3 June 2026
The vehicle careened into a deep gorge and was swept away.
—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
2 June 2026
The ball careened off Benge’s glove and to his right.
—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
The divorced mom of three, along with Ramirez and some pals, soaked up the sun, rode on personal watercraft and careened down a giant slide.
—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
On his game winner, as Jake Oettinger careened toward the near post to square him up, Hughes very intentionally shot wide to the far side into a tangle of bodies.
—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
30 June 2026
The ruling comes a month after a pickup careened at more than 50 mph into a crowd of people near the intersection of 85th Avenue and International Boulevard.
—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
16 June 2026
Brunson, the Knicks’ leading scorer, pulled up with about 5 seconds left to take a 3-point shot which hit the front of the rim and careened off.
—
Tom Tapp,
Deadline,
10 June 2026
One person was seriously injured after their SUV careened into an intersection on Troost Avenue in Kansas City and hit a truck Wednesday morning, police said.
—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
3 June 2026
The vehicle careened into a deep gorge and was swept away.
—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
2 June 2026
The ball careened off Benge’s glove and to his right.
—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
The divorced mom of three, along with Ramirez and some pals, soaked up the sun, rode on personal watercraft and careened down a giant slide.
—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
On his game winner, as Jake Oettinger careened toward the near post to square him up, Hughes very intentionally shot wide to the far side into a tangle of bodies.
—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for careened
Verb
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Initial data indicates both of these earthquakes were strike-slip, Magnani said, meaning one plate lurched past the other along the boundary.
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Rodney McDonald, who was traveling with his wife and two sons, told ABC News the ordeal began when the aircraft unexpectedly lurched.
Verb
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Implementation of the program will be staggered, starting in elementary schools in 2030, for Texas’ more than 5 million students – about 10% of the national total.
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Since the notices will be staggered, however, some borrowers may have more time.
Verb
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Prosecutors allege Clay intentionally drove his car onto the sidewalk, sped toward a crowd of pedestrians and hit eight of them before slamming into a gate.
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Trump confirmed the project after the helipad plans had been rumored for months, with construction reportedly sped up ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit in September, according to the Washington Post.
Verb
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Some gold ETFs directly invest in bullion kept in vaults, while others invest in shares of mining companies that tend to follow the price of gold while also being swayed by the companies’ management decisions, efficiency and financials.
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That was apparent at a town hall debate Tuesday evening at Florida Memorial University, which some attendees said may have swayed them from one particular candidate to being open to hearing what the others had to say.
Verb
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Immigrants crowded waiting rooms and spilled into hallways as clerks raced to process around 100 people scheduled for an administrative hearing that morning.
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The Kansas City Royals raced out to a quick lead against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium.
Verb
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The strike rocked the Ecuadorians, whose stingy defense had been their hallmark throughout qualifying for this World Cup, and La Tri gathered together for a pep talk as Azteca boomed around them.
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This piece can be read in the context of an event that rocked Koreans, and the world, in 2016.
Verb
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Pip scurried over to take a seat on my foot.
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Lee, who had extended his hitting streak to 16 games the at-bat before, scurried back to first base.
Verb
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Thousands of fans in Mexico lost their minds and shook the earth.
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Multiple explosions shook central Kyiv and reverberated across the capital throughout the night as thousands of residents rushed to bomb shelters and underground metro stations.
Cite this Entry
“Careened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/careened. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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