veer 1 of 2

verb

ˈvir How to pronounce veer (audio)
Definition of veernext
1
as in to deviate
to change one's course or direction at this point the river veers to the southwest before finally emptying into the Atlantic Ocean

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to turn
to change the course or direction of (something) veered the ship abruptly to the right to avoid a collision

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to swerve
to depart abruptly from a straight line or course without warning the car veered to the left and into an oncoming truck

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

veer

2 of 2

noun

as in turn

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb veer contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of veer are depart, deviate, digress, diverge, and swerve. While all these words mean "to turn aside from a straight course," veer implies a major change in direction.

at that point the path veers to the right

When would depart be a good substitute for veer?

While in some cases nearly identical to veer, depart suggests a deviation from a traditional or conventional course or type.

occasionally departs from his own guidelines

When could deviate be used to replace veer?

The synonyms deviate and veer are sometimes interchangeable, but deviate implies a turning from a customary or prescribed course.

never deviated from her daily routine

In what contexts can digress take the place of veer?

Although the words digress and veer have much in common, digress applies to a departing from the subject of one's discourse.

a professor prone to digress

How do diverge and depart relate to one another, in the sense of veer?

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

When might swerve be a better fit than veer?

The words swerve and veer are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, swerve may suggest a physical, mental, or moral turning away from a given course, often with abruptness.

swerved to avoid hitting the dog

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 veer
Verb
Historically, the Catholic Church’s stand on climate change has veered toward silence and denialism. —Omar G. Encarnación, Time, 22 Apr. 2025 Formed in 1981 and together about ten years, Salem 66 was initially one of Boston’s first all female bands (though a few guys were in later lineups), with a sound that veered between indie-pop and poetic folk-rock. —Brett Milano, Boston Herald, 13 Apr. 2025
Noun
Historically, Neptune in Aries brings uprisings and unforeseen changes, with ideologies and thoughts that veer from the status quo. —Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 27 Mar. 2025 The plot veers through various sidetracking convolutions and there is more exposition than necessary tied to supplementary characters. —Christopher Smith, Orange County Register, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for veer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for veer
  1. deviate
  2. turn
  3. swerve
  4. twist
  5. swing
  6. cut
  7. bend
  8. divert
Verb
  • Related Articles While not completely deviating from his wartime attire, Zelensky partially adhered to the Vatican’s dress code for the somber occasion.
    — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 27 Apr. 2025
  • That exemplified her approach, even if her first cookbook sometimes deviated from that mission.
    — Danielle Dorsey, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
Definition of deviate
Verb
  • There’s a camera grip that also attaches to the bottom of the case to turn the whole setup into something resembling a camera.
    — Ben Sin, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
  • Victor Ponta, a former leftist prime minister who has turned conservative nationalist, is ranked fourth but could prove a dark horse.
    — Reuters, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
Definition of turn
Verb
  • Last year, Tesla settled a lawsuit over a 2018 car crash that killed an Apple AAPL.O engineer after his Model X, operating on Autopilot, swerved off a highway near San Francisco.
    — Mike Scarcella, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
  • The Financial Times reported earlier this week that the European Commission was mulling over options to help European companies end long-term gas contracts with Russia while swerving heavy penalties to Moscow, citing three anonymous officials with knowledge of the talks.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025
Definition of swerve
Noun
  • Joseph Kosinski is giving another iconic ’80s IP a contemporary twist.
    — Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 28 Apr. 2025
  • This 323-Square-Foot Home Is Meant to Look Like a Luxury Hotel By Nicolas Milon Looking to give a traditional-style space a more eccentric twist?
    — Dan Howarth, Architectural Digest, 28 Apr. 2025
Definition of twist
Verb
  • Minnesota outscored Los Angeles 127-85 in the collective fourth quarters, a decisive advantage that swung several games in the series.
    — Jovan Buha, New York Times, 2 May 2025
  • In the markets Chinese and Hong Kong stocks swung between gains and losses in a choppy session on Wednesday.
    — Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 30 Apr. 2025
Definition of swing
Verb
  • With the new order, Trump is threatening to cut federal funds to cities and states his Administration decides are blocking his mass deportation effort.
    — Brian Bennett, Time, 29 Apr. 2025
  • The state says the rule is crucial to meeting greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and cutting smog-forming pollutants.
    — David Shepardson, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
Definition of cut
Noun
  • Interestingly, Milwaukee may need to consider a bend but don’t break strategy.
    — Brian Sampson, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
  • The cards were stacked against us, though; the turkeys quickly disappeared around a bend in the canyon, half a mile below, still going strong.
    — Percy Brown, Outdoor Life, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of bend
Verb
  • Welch diverted a large portion of the loan money for the personal benefit of the couple, according to court documents.
    — NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Those hotels have hospitality standards on par with many of the finest in the world, but no alcohol is served, with focus instead diverted to food, coffee, and experiences.
    — Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 24 Apr. 2025
Definition of divert

Browse Nearby Words

veejays
veer
veered
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Cite this Entry

“Veer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/veer. Accessed 10 May. 2025.

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