swerve

verb

ˈswərv How to pronounce swerve (audio)
swerved; swerving
Synonyms of swervenext

intransitive verb

: to turn aside abruptly from a straight line or course : deviate

transitive verb

: to cause to turn aside or deviate
swerve noun

Synonyms of swerve

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swerve, veer, deviate, depart, digress, diverge 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

veer implies a major change in direction.

at that point the path veers to the right

deviate implies a turning from a customary or prescribed course.

never deviated from her daily routine

depart suggests a deviation from a traditional or conventional course or type.

occasionally departs from his own guidelines

digress applies to a departing from the subject of one's discourse.

a professor prone to digress

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

Examples of swerve in a Sentence

He lost control of the car and swerved toward a tree. the car swerved sharply to avoid the squirrel in the road
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Multiple witnesses told the deputy that the semi was intentionally swerving into the shoulder of the road to prevent a motorcycle from passing it. — Wcco Staff, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026 Surveillance video obtained by ABC7 New York shows two men fighting in the street before gunshots ring out, and a vehicle swerves around the moped, appearing to flee the scene. — Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 23 Aug. 2026 This will all play out in Spain’s baking east and south, with the race swerving some of its iconic Asturian ascent in this edition. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 According to a civil complaint, which was obtained by PEOPLE, Li and Scobey’s vehicle allegedly swerved into oncoming traffic while driving on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles and collided with plaintiff Anna Mercedes Aoun’s vehicle. — Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for swerve

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English sweorfan to wipe, file away; akin to Old High German swerban to wipe off, Welsh chwerfu to whirl

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of swerve was in the 14th century

Rhymes for swerve

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Browse Nearby Words

Swertia
swerve
swerveless
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Cite this Entry

“Swerve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swerve. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

swerve

verb
ˈswərv How to pronounce swerve (audio)
swerved; swerving
: to turn aside suddenly from a straight line or course
swerve noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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