Veer Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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veer

[vɪər ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Verb}

change direction

To veer means to change direction suddenly. This word is often used to describe a vehicle or a person changing course unexpectedly.

Synonyms

deviate, swerve, turn.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
veer	Often used when talking about a sudden or sharp change in direction, commonly in driving or in a figurative sense to indicate a shift in topic or behavior. The car began to veer off the road. The conversation veered toward politics.
swerve	Often used to describe a quick, sudden change in direction, usually to avoid something. It can be used in both literal and figurative senses. The driver swerved to avoid hitting the cat. The discussion swerved away from the main issue.
deviate	Typically used in more formal contexts to describe a change from a planned or expected course, path, or behavior. He tends to deviate from the main topic. The plane had to deviate from its original flight path.
turn	A more general term used to describe changing direction or orientation. It is less sudden and can refer to physical movements or changes in events or situations. She turned left at the corner. His life took a positive turn after the new job.

Examples of usage

The car veered off the road and into a ditch.
The conversation veered off topic and onto a completely different subject.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

nautical

In nautical terms, a veer refers to the slackening of a rope due to the wind or current changing direction.

Synonyms

loosen, slack.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
veer	Often used to describe a sudden change in direction or course, typically in a physical or metaphorical sense. It implies a sharp and sometimes unexpected turn or deviation. The car suddenly veered off the road. Their conversation veered into a completely different topic.
slack	Typically used to describe something that is not tight or firm, often with a slight negative connotation implying carelessness or lack of effort. The rope became slack after the heavy load was removed. His work has been slack recently, and he's been missing deadlines.
loosen	Used when making something less tight or more relaxed. This can apply to physical objects, rules, or situations. He loosened his tie after the long meeting. They decided to loosen the strict regulations for a more relaxed environment.

Word

Description / Examples

veer

Often used to describe a sudden change in direction or course, typically in a physical or metaphorical sense. It implies a sharp and sometimes unexpected turn or deviation.

The car suddenly veered off the road.
Their conversation veered into a completely different topic.

slack

Typically used to describe something that is not tight or firm, often with a slight negative connotation implying carelessness or lack of effort.

The rope became slack after the heavy load was removed.
His work has been slack recently, and he's been missing deadlines.

loosen

Used when making something less tight or more relaxed. This can apply to physical objects, rules, or situations.

He loosened his tie after the long meeting.
They decided to loosen the strict regulations for a more relaxed environment.

Examples of usage

The sailor quickly adjusted the veer in the rope to account for the shifting winds.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'veer'

The word 'veer' originated in the 16th century from the Middle French word 'virer', meaning 'to turn'. It has been used in English to describe sudden changes in direction both in literal and metaphorical senses.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #26,576, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.

...
26573 overvalued
26574 quartering
26575 destabilize
26576 veer
26577 monovalent
26578 concentrically
26579 lapsing
...