veer

1 of 3

verb (1)

ˈvir 

veered; veering; veers

intransitive verb

1

: to change direction or course

the economy veered sharply downward

2

of the wind : to shift in a clockwise direction compare back entry 4 sense 2

3

of a ship : to change course by turning the stern to the wind

transitive verb

: to direct to a different course

specifically : wear sense 7

veeringly

ˈvir-iŋ-lē 

adverb

veer

2 of 3

noun

: a change in course or direction

a veer to the right

veer

3 of 3

verb (2)

veered; veering; veers

transitive verb

: to let out (something, such as a rope)

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• detour
• deviate
• diverge
• sheer
• swerve
• swing
• turn
• turn off
• wheel

Choose the Right Synonym for veer

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 veer in a Sentence

Verb (1)

at this point the river veers to the southwest before finally emptying into the Atlantic Ocean

veered the ship abruptly to the right to avoid a collision

without warning the car veered to the left and into an oncoming truck

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

In the dash camera video, the man dressed as Santa can be seen veering through multiple lanes of traffic. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024

In Magdeburg, Germany, on Friday, a driver veered his car into crowds of people at a Christmas market, resulting in fatalities and dozens of injuries. —Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 20 Dec. 2024

Noun

After an enjoyable slapstick first half, the play veers towards more difficult subjects that are never fully explored. —Lee Sharrock, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024

Some subtly veer from the everyday to the unnatural, like a woman holding a thin blade to her cheek, smiling, eyes locked on the viewer. —Jacqui Palumbo, CNN, 18 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English veren, probably altered from Anglo-French virer "to whirl, turn, revolve" (continental Old French, "to throw with a twisting motion"), going back to Vulgar Latin *vīrāre, reduced from Latin vibrāre "to wave, propel suddenly" — more at vibrate

Note: The vowel change (e in Middle English, i in French) is of unclear motivation. Cf. Old Scots wyr, wyre "to throw along a curving trajectory," vyre "to turn about a fixed point," apparently borrowed from Anglo-French virer with no alteration of vowel.

Noun

noun derivative of veer entry 1

Verb (2)

Middle English veren, borrowed from Middle Dutch *vieren or Middle Low German vīren, perhaps from a Frisian verbal derivative of Old Frisian fīr "far"; akin to Old English feorr far entry 1

First Known Use

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

circa 1611, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing veer

• veer off course

Kids Definition

veer

verb

ˈvi(ə)r

: to change direction or course

the highway veers inland at this point

veer noun