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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of careened
Police were on scene Monday afternoon in Granada Hills after a Tesla driver lost control and careened into the Ali Baba Persian Restaurant.
—
Gavin J. Quinton, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
That’s when a Purdy pass got tipped at the line and careened off Christian McCaffrey’s hands into Drake Thomas’at the Seattle 3 for a comeback-crushing interception.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2026
In the months since, the two countries have careened from crisis to crisis.
—Kevin Whitaker, Foreign Affairs, 15 Dec. 2025
His car hit both highway walls then careened over a snowbank and fell 70 feet.
—Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 9 Dec. 2025
That was bad news for Kermit the Frog, who careened into a tree and ripped.
—Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
More than one person fell victim to wayward gourds that careened down Midland Road to the cheers and groans of an eager audience.
—Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 3 Nov. 2025
Hours later, the vessel careened into a nearby bridge, ejecting 19-year-old Mallory Beach into the dark water.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2025
Three years ago this week, Hardy was on his way back from a concert in Bristol, Tennessee, when his tour bus careened off the road and rolled down an embankment.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for careened
Verb
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The relentless Chacon lurched outside after her just as his car door opened and out popped their 6-year-old son, begging his dad to stop.—
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New year optimism was certainly in short supply inside Anfield as the mood lurched from restlessness to exasperation and then anger.—
Verb
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The Bills had a pretty cushy road schedule this year, playing once outside the Eastern time zone, yet staggered around early.—
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The Packers staggered to the finish with a four-game losing streak but will have quarterback Jordan Love (concussion) back.—
Verb
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The Toyota crashed, and the Charger sped away, according to court records.—
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His arm was pinned into the back window of a car as a suspect sped away, dragging him across the pavement for about 100 yards, according to court documents.—
Verb
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Don’t be swayed by the self-congratulatory rhetoric.—
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The protest represented the first test of whether the Iranian public could be swayed by Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, whose fatally ill father fled Iran just before the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.—
Verb
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Moore took a few steps to his left before pitching the ball to fellow receiver Jauan Jennings, who raced to his right as if to run.—
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The Hurricanes raced to a 9-0 lead on back-to-back dunks by freshman Shelton Henderson, extended the gap to 17-4 and led 47-33 at halftime.—
Verb
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Pamela Anderson has rocked a bob for some time now, but her latest 'do includes pops of pastel pink.—
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That’s a huge decline from the 125 homicides that rocked the city in 2023.—
Verb
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Tirado scurried to at least half a dozen bags before finding his and pulling out … pickle juice.—
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The voles scurried away when the little nightingale tried to sing, though not out of cruelty.—
Verb
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The crime was not the only one that shook the state over the weekend.—
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His whole body shook, intimidating everyone.—
Cite this Entry
“Careened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/careened. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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