swerve

verb

ˈswərv How to pronounce swerve (audio)
Definition of swervenext
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to curve
to turn away from a straight line or course the bike path gently swerves to the right

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
4
as in to deviate
to change one's course or direction the hurricane had been following the coastline before it swerved and headed inland

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb swerve contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of swerve are depart, deviate, digress, diverge, and veer. While all these words mean "to turn aside from a straight course," swerve may suggest a physical, mental, or moral turning away from a given course, often with abruptness.

swerved to avoid hitting the dog

Where would depart be a reasonable alternative to swerve?

While in some cases nearly identical to swerve, depart suggests a deviation from a traditional or conventional course or type.

occasionally departs from his own guidelines

When might deviate be a better fit than swerve?

Although the words deviate and swerve have much in common, deviate implies a turning from a customary or prescribed course.

never deviated from her daily routine

When could digress be used to replace swerve?

The words digress and swerve can be used in similar contexts, but digress applies to a departing from the subject of one's discourse.

a professor prone to digress

How are the words diverge and depart related as synonyms of swerve?

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 would veer be a good substitute for swerve?

In some situations, the words veer and swerve are roughly equivalent. However, veer implies a major change in direction.

at that point the path veers to the right

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 When the victim crossed the street to talk with him, Butera swerved and hit him with the car, the affidavit states. —Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026 The semi Beishekeev was driving swerved into the westbound lane and collided with a van driven by Donald Stipp, 55, of Portland. —Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 5 Feb. 2026 According to police and fire officials, the driver struck the bicyclist about a block from the store, then swerved onto the sidewalk and went through the glass windows of the market, coming to a stop in the bakery. —City News Service, Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026 Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukraine’s Defense Minister, said that a Shahed drone struck near the bus, causing the bus to swerve into a fence. —Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for swerve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swerve
  1. veer
  2. curve
  3. bend
  4. deviate
  5. hook
  6. turn
  7. arch
  8. swing
Verb
  • Police vans behind a temporary metal fence secured the road to the athletes’ village, but the protesters veered away, continuing their apparent route toward the Santagiulia venue.
    — Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 8 Feb. 2026
  • She's especially drawn to cool gray tones at the moment, which can make for a nice compromise for anyone who's looking to veer away from white yet isn't quite sold on deep black.
    — Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of veer
Verb
  • The path begins in Siberia, curves around the North Pole past Greenland and Iceland, then crosses Spain before ending in the Mediterranean sunset.
    — Ryan Craggs, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Some of them were curved like a hook.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of curve
Verb
  • Now, a team of researchers from the Polish Academy of Sciences has shown that even a bare carbon fiber, no thicker than a human hair, can bend and straighten on command, without any direct wiring.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026
  • But Greg Abbott is bending over backwards to build data centers that line the pockets of his donors, while raising our utility rates and depleting our water.
    — Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of bend
Verb
  • There remains hesitation from many to deviate from norms by investing in personal security, but boardrooms are increasingly intervening and pressuring CEOs to do so, Krummrich said.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 8 Feb. 2026
  • Over the past few years, San Jose has deviated from the Housing First model by investing more money into interim housing options as an alternative to living on the streets.
    — Devan Patel, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of deviate
Verb
  • Mark Lanier, a lawyer for the plaintiff, questioned Mosseri on Wednesday about whether Instagram chooses profits over the health and safety of minors and whether Mosseri oversees an app that hooks younger users.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
  • The toys can also be taken on the go and hooked onto backpacks or purses with a keychain clip.
    — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of hook
Verb
  • Will this race and the other changes create an opportunity for NASCAR to turn the page on its difficult 2025?
    — Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
  • The new food pyramid has turned things upside down.
    — Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of turn
Verb
  • Growing about two feet tall and three feet wide, its delicate blades arch and flutter in the breeze to great effect.
    — Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Back on the highway, the rearview mirror showed the clouds had lifted, the waters were still, and a rainbow had arched across the sky.
    — Marlise Kast-Myers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of arch
Verb
  • Within seconds, Perez smacked a cellphone out of the man's hand, swung at his head and tackled him to the ground.
    — Sheridan Hendrix, USA Today, 12 Feb. 2026
  • Over the past decade, screening guidelines have swung from recommending routine screening to advising against it to landing somewhere in between, and major organizations still don’t all say it the same way.
    — Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of swing

Browse Nearby Words

swept (away)
swerve
swerved
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Swerve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swerve. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on swerve

Nglish: Translation of swerve for Spanish Speakers

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