MEANING
1. To move quickly and unsteadily, often swerving or tilting.
2. To tilt a vessel onto its side so its hull can be examined, cleaned, or repaired.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- careen down a hill
- careen around a corner
On the page
The empty cart careened down the lane and struck the gate.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- careen
- Past tense
- careened
- Past participle
- careened
- Present participle
- careening
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- careen
- Present continuous
- am/is/are careening
- Present perfect
- have/has careened
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been careening
- Past
- careened
- Past continuous
- was/were careening
- Past perfect
- had careened
- Past perfect continuous
- had been careening
- Future
- will careen
- Future continuous
- will be careening
- Future perfect
- will have careened
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been careening
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: careen; careens; careened; careened; careening. Writing functions: movement, action, description. Commonness: moderately common in sense 1; nautical sense less common. Legacy fields mirror sense 1.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.