SWERVING Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

swerving

verb

present participle of swerve

as in veering

to depart abruptly from a straight line or course the car swerved sharply to avoid the squirrel in the road

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

straightening

as in curving

to turn away from a straight line or course the bike path gently swerves to the right

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

straightening

as in bending

to cause to turn away from a straight line a dog dashed out in front of me and made me swerve my bike to one side of the bike path

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in deviating

to change one's course or direction the hurricane had been following the coastline before it swerved and headed inland

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 swerving At times, they were seen swerving around other drivers and driving at speeds up to 95 miles per hour in the northbound lanes before getting onto the westbound I-10, exiting near downtown and then turning back toward Boyle Heights on surface streets. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026 But Cinderella keeps going, winding her way through Querétaro, swerving toward the old colonial city of San Miguel de Allende, then bending northeast. — Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026 As Warner begins to ponder the effects of time, his son runs and bounces through the living room, swerving around the breakfast he’s being coaxed to eat. — Dan Pompei, New York Times, 21 July 2026 Investigators said the pickup crossed into the westbound lane before swerving back and rotating clockwise. — Skyler Shepard, Sun Sentinel, 16 July 2026 Conwell played off the ball a lot but showed a nifty handle when given the chance, delivering a terrific pass in transition for a Jahmir Young score and swerving past a defender on a neat move to the basket before missing a shot at the rim. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 4 July 2026 Independent testing by Motor Trend revealed that Max‑Performance summer tires improve cornering grip by 10 to 20 percent, which is a significant buffer when cornering or swerving to avoid an accident. — Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 For example, avoiding some accidents can mean both braking and swerving at the same time, when humans typically manage only one at once. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026 The man said his wife began panicking and swerving the vehicle. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for swerving

Verb

The intricate lavender design featured a sheer overlay that revealed structured bustier-style paneling and a delicate slip underneath, creating the illusion of a classic naked dress without veering into eveningwear territory.

— Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 7 Aug. 2026
Given the restaurant’s bar-leaning origins in the space, the drink options remain robust and veering.

— Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of veering

Verb

Similar to other colubrids, this species possesses a Duvernoy’s gland—a venom gland located behind the eyes and connected by a tube to grooved, backward-curving teeth at the back of the upper jaw.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Aug. 2026
Mary’s body echoes the shape of the frame, curving around Jesus, her gaze following his.

— Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of curving

Verb

The source material is one of the most influential Japanese comics of all time, a trailblazing, gender-bending story of heroism and sacrifice.

— K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026
The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends teaching children to pick up and carry backpacks safely, including bending at the knees rather than the waist when lifting heavier bags to avoid strain.

— Cheyanne Mumphrey, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of bending

Verb

Practicing deviating from our defaults, no matter how mundane, prepares us to deviate again, even in higher stakes contexts.

— Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
The highly disguised initial view of the model undergoing final testing showed the luxury marque deviating away from its traditional upright boxy off-road SUVs into a new territory.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 July 2026

Definition of deviating

Verb

Guides tailor each day around conditions and what’s running, with trips that might involve swinging flies from a gravel bar, wading a gin-clear tributary, or floating miles of river in hopes of hooking a chrome-bright or rainbow-hued fish.

— Bailey Berg, Travel + Leisure, 1 Aug. 2026
In the 1950s, people were hooking mammoth groupers, marine goliaths that could be six feet in length.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026

Definition of hooking

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swerves

swerving

swift

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Style

“Swerving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swerving. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of swerving

verb

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