swerve

verb

ˈswərv 

swerved; swerving

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

• break
• cut
• sheer
• veer
• yaw
• zag
• zig

Choose the Right Synonym for swerve

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

Gelo will be swerving and bending that corner to the Bay, as he’s set to make his live television performance debut on All-Star Saturday Night (Feb. 15) ahead of the 2025 STARRY 3-Point Contest. —Michael Saponara, Billboard, 11 Feb. 2025

Today, Craig is swerving off the traditional path again: U Beauty is launching a fragrance. —Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2025

And here, maybe just because an apple and a dad are in the same frame, the poem swerves into a compact and devastating meditation on parenthood, mortality and the passage of time. —A.o. Scott, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025

Deputies say Medina swerved across lanes, changing speeds to evade police. —Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2025

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

Kids Definition

swerve

verb

ˈswərv 

swerved; swerving

: to turn aside suddenly from a straight line or course

swerve noun