veer
To change direction suddenly.
veer in a sentence
- The cyclist veered to the left just in time to miss the pothole.
- A gust of wind made the paper plane veer sharply sideways and land in the teacher's mug.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to veer?
- Astraighten
- Bcontinue
- Cswerve
Show the answer
C: swerve. The other three mean the opposite of veer.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to veer?
- Aswerve
- Bturn
- Cdodge
- Dstraighten
Show the answer
D: straighten. The other three mean nearly the same as veer.
Words that mean something similar
swerve, turn, dodge
Words that mean the opposite
straighten, continue
More words about movement & action
- venture: To dare to go somewhere or try something risky.
- vigorous: Done with lots of energy and strength.
- voyage: A long journey by sea or through space.
- waft: To float gently through the air.
- wallow: To roll about happily in mud or water, or to sink into a feeling for too long.
- wield: To hold and use a weapon or tool.
- wince: To make a small sudden movement because of pain or embarrassment.
- wrench: To pull or twist something suddenly and forcefully.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test