careen

verb

kə-ˈrēn How to pronounce careen (audio)
Definition of careennext
1
as in to lurch
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 to stagger
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 to scurry
to proceed or move quickly sounding its siren, an ambulance careened through the intersection

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 careen Charted out, the twin collapses of the income and inheritance taxes look like a roller coaster careening downhill, picking up speed toward and through the twenty-first century. — Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026 Our passing usually rattled grasshoppers into careening flight. — Tom Huggler, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026 Roth asks in one, referencing the ghostly figure careening overhead. — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 Aug. 2026 Surveillance video of the incident shows the white vehicle involved in the collision sideswiping a car in the opposite lane, then careening toward the crosswalk that moments earlier a pedestrian had entered with a dog. — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for careen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for careen
  1. lurch
  2. stagger
  3. scurry
  4. sway
  5. weave
  6. speed
  7. rock
  8. hurry
Verb
  • Maresca, though, does not appear to have much taste for the Premier League’s lurch towards balls into the box.
    — Sam Lee, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The United States, which had been lurching toward entry in the Second World War, was suddenly and inescapably thrust into global conflict.
    — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of lurch
Verb
  • The funding document stated that the funding would be staggered and tied to different stages of the project, such as the official announcement of filming in Madrid, the start of shooting, and that Madrid had to appear in the film’s title.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Darwin, by then forty-nine and not in the greatest health, was staggered.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of stagger
Verb
  • Hikers often spot these charismatic creatures perched on boulders or scurrying through wildflowers.
    — Brittany Peterson, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Inside Botánica Santo Tomas in Wilton Manors, store owner Héctor Giovanni Pizarro Santana sweeps the floor as his tiny Chihuahua, Bella, scurries behind him.
    — Delia Sauer, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of scurry
Verb
  • Palm trees swayed over a serene campus where students surfed at Campus Point between (or in lieu of) classes.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Zoe Zeeman swayed back and forth behind her bass, simply dressed in a tee and vintage Lakers shorts.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of sway
Verb
  • After years of analysis, Caltrans has decided to weave strong micropiles into the 499 aging piles that now support the bridge’s piers, said Allan Kosup, chief deputy director of Caltrans District 11 in San Diego and Imperial counties.
    — David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Kamnop is a quest for healing and justice, where dreams become reality, weaving together memory, sorrow and joy.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of weave
Verb
  • Officers said Rodriguez sped out of the lot and fled the scene.
    — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The next day, his rebuild group met, and one of the architects brought up prefabricated housing as an option to speed things along.
    — Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of speed
Verb
  • His music, a blend of charismatic and electrifying punk and post-punk, provided the hard-rocking moment of the entire three-and-a-half-hour evening.
    — David Chiu, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Roan later took to the stage in a purple miniskirt ensemble, rocking a bob.
    — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of rock
Verb
  • Jeremiah Martin had a quarterback hurry on third down, forcing a throwaway.
    — Kevin Fishbain, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The other officers hurried to the second scene as Hernandez tackled a fleeing Edgar to the ground.
    — Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of hurry

Browse Nearby Words

cared (for)
careen
careened
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Careen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/careen. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on careen

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about careen

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dissonant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All