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 of swerve

• veer

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

The elegant staging tries to compensate, but the performers have to rely a little too heavily on their own charms to make up the difference in a play that swerves unexpectedly at the end into a cutesy fairy tale. —Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026

His primary focus was a woman who still appeared to be trapped inside the 2008 Volkswagen Golf that had just swerved into oncoming traffic and collided with a box truck. —Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 19 June 2026

Unlike Magazine Dreams, the modest but satisfying Test avoids the lurid descent into violent psychodrama that swerved into hallucinatory Taxi Driver territory and undercut that film’s integrity. —David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026

The driver of the London bus quickly swerved out of the way to avoid her. —Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026

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

Rhymes for swerve

• curve
• mirv
• nerve
• serve
• verve
• conserve
• deserve
• manoeuvre
• observe
• preserve
• reserve
• subserve

Kids Definition

swerve

verb

ˈswərv 

swerved; swerving

: to turn aside suddenly from a straight line or course

swerve noun