veer 1 of 2

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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veer

2 of 2

noun

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
Ice creams deemed too saccharine or that veered too into toothpaste territory weren’t welcome. Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 July 2025 The pilot of the passenger jet Flight 3788, which departed from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, was forced to veer sharply to avoid the B-52, startling passengers, though both planes landed safely. Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 22 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for veer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for veer
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
  • Fister, meanwhile, turned into a strikeout machine, and well, a latter-day Alexander, with an 11.4 K/BB ratio and a 1.79 ERA in 11 starts.
    Ryan Ford, Freep.com, 29 July 2025
  • The trade turned into one of the most lopsided deals in big-league history.
    Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 29 July 2025
Verb
  • The Sox southpaw fanned Ohtani on three pitches, the last an 87.9 mph cutter that fooled the lefty hitter into swinging as the pitch swerved well below and away from the zone.
    Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 27 July 2025
  • The musician suffered a serious crash in East Hampton, N.Y., in June 2002, and, less than a year later, had to be airlifted to a hospital after swerving off the road and smashing his car into a tree in January 2003.
    Emlyn Travis, EW.com, 26 July 2025
Noun
  • Despite their romance coming to an end, the adventure seeker's exhilarating life — filled with twists, turns and a fair share of couch surfing — had only just begun.
    Skyler Caruso, People.com, 23 July 2025
  • Boulevardier With Cuervo Añejo Bold and bittersweet, this tequila twist on a whiskey classic brings complexity to your cocktail hour.
    Ronny Maye, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
Verb
  • On Thursday, the White House announced that Trump had just sent letters to the heads of 17 major pharmaceutical companies pushing them to cut the prices that Americans have to pay down to the levels that people in other countries pay.
    Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025
  • At the 400-meter split, the challengers cut two-tenths of a second off Ledecky’s lead to pull within 0.18.
    Zack Pierce, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • One of the other games involves shooting foam balls out of plastic pipes with various bends included as kids assembled them.
    Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 21 July 2025
  • Traveling 90 mph in a 35 mph zone, Angel Ivan Martinez flew around a bend in the two-lane street, drunk behind the wheel of a Dodge Charger.
    CalMatters, Mercury News, 9 July 2025
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

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Cite this Entry

“Veer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/veer. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

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