MEANING
To turn sharply from a course or depart abruptly from an intended approach.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- swerve to avoid
- swerve from a principle
On the page
The driver swerved to avoid the fallen branch.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- swerve
- Past tense
- swerved
- Past participle
- swerved
- Present participle
- swerving
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- swerve
- Present continuous
- am/is/are swerving
- Present perfect
- have/has swerved
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been swerving
- Past
- swerved
- Past continuous
- was/were swerving
- Past perfect
- had swerved
- Past perfect continuous
- had been swerving
- Future
- will swerve
- Future continuous
- will be swerving
- Future perfect
- will have swerved
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been swerving
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: swerve; swerves; swerved; swerved; swerving Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: swerves.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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