careened

verb

past tense of careen
1
as in lurched
to make a series of unsteady side-to-side motions the sled careened as it barreled down the hill

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in staggered
to move forward while swaying from side to side he careened unsteadily to the couch after hitting his head

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in sped
to proceed or move quickly sounding its siren, an ambulance careened through the intersection

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 careened On the second-team’s next series, Mondon lined up along the right edge — where starter Zack Baun has thrived — and careened into the backfield and batted Tommy DeVito’s pass attempt incomplete. — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Brent's price careened between $72 and $102 last month as worries rose and fell about when the war with Iran would allow oil tankers to freely exit the Persian Gulf again to deliver crude to customers worldwide. — ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026 Brent’s price careened between $72 and $102 last month as worries rose and fell about when the war with Iran would allow oil tankers to freely exit the Persian Gulf again to deliver crude to customers worldwide. — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026 Three people were killed, and one person was injured in Bedford Park after a driver fleeing a police stop careened off a bridge and struck a freight train, Chicago police said. — Evgenia Anastasakos, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026 Mbappé had a chance for a critical goal in the 67th minute but his shot careened wide, and France remained scoreless as Les Bleus desperately searched for a scoring chance. — Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2026 The fatal hit-and-run occurred less than two hours after a 13-year-old boy was killed riding on the back of a moped in Queens after his friend slammed into an open car door and then careened into a moving truck. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 30 June 2026 The ruling comes a month after a pickup careened at more than 50 mph into a crowd of people near the intersection of 85th Avenue and International Boulevard. — Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 16 June 2026 Brunson, the Knicks’ leading scorer, pulled up with about 5 seconds left to take a 3-point shot which hit the front of the rim and careened off. — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 10 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for careened
  1. lurched
  2. staggered
  3. sped
  4. swayed
  5. raced
  6. rocked
  7. scurried
  8. shook
Verb
  • Markets have lurched up and down as oil prices shot higher because of the war with Iran.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • His car lurched forward with Miller’s arm still reaching through the window, briefly dragging the cop down the street.
    — Guthrie Scrimgeour, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of lurched
Verb
  • Biden called for reforms, too, in his final year, recommending that the Court’s Justices be limited to eighteen-year terms, staggered so that Presidents could appoint one every two years.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Shore excursions leave on time, dining reservations are staggered throughout the evening, and all-aboard times aren’t suggestions.
    — Jill Schildhouse, Southern Living, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of staggered
Verb
  • Earlier in the game, Thomas’ pressure sped up Milroe, who saw his pass batted down by defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Officers said Rodriguez sped out of the lot and fled the scene.
    — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of sped
Verb
  • Comics took so many shots at the 79-year-old Albuquerque woman who sued McDonald’s over a scalding cup of coffee that swayed Americans allowed tort reform to tilt the balance of power from customers to companies.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Palm trees swayed over a serene campus where students surfed at Campus Point between (or in lieu of) classes.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of swayed
Verb
  • On Monday, rescuers in Nepal raced to free hundreds of workers thought to be trapped in hydropower site tunnels that were buried in mud.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Two Yavapai County Sheriff's Office deputies raced against the clock to save a man's life after a rattlesnake bit him at a remote campsite.
    — Christian Cervantes, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of raced
Verb
  • Earlier this year, Iran was rocked by widespread anti-government protests.
    — Mick Krever, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • North Carolina was rocked in head coach Bill Belichick's first game at the helm.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of rocked
Verb
  • Another quartet scurried around the trash can next to the dishwasher.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
  • As Hodges scurried about in a panic, Devenanzio kept his game face on and won by a mile.
    — Breanne L. Heldman, PEOPLE, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of scurried
Verb
  • The offence that shook baseball in October appeared again, leading the Jays to their second-largest margin of victory this year in an 11-0 win against the Cleveland Guardians.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Several heavy explosions shook Kuhestak, with fireballs that lighted up the night sky, according to security camera recordings carried by the semiofficial news agency Fars.
    — David Rising, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of shook

Browse Nearby Words

careen
careened
careening
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Cite this Entry

“Careened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/careened. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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