veer

¹ American  

[veer] / vɪər /

verb (used without object)

1. to change direction or turn about or aside; shift, turn, or change from one course, position, inclination, etc., to another.

   The speaker kept veering from his main topic. The car veered off the road.

   Synonyms:

   diverge, swerve, deviate

2. (of the wind)

   1. to change direction clockwise (back ).

   2. Nautical. to shift to a direction more nearly astern (haul ).

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verb (used with object)

1. to alter the direction or course of; turn.

2. Nautical. to turn (a vessel) away from the wind; wear.

noun

1. a change of direction, position, course, etc..

   a sudden veer in a different direction.

veer ² American  

[veer] / vɪər /

verb (used with object)

Nautical.

1. to slacken or let out.

   to veer chain.

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veer ¹ British  

/ vɪə /

verb

1. to alter direction (of); swing around

2. (intr) to change from one position, opinion, etc, to another

3. (intr)

   1. (of the wind) to change direction clockwise in the northern hemisphere and anticlockwise in the southern

   2. nautical to blow from a direction nearer the stern Compare haul

4. nautical to steer (a vessel) off the wind

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noun

1. a change of course or direction

veer ² British  

/ vɪə /

verb

1. (tr; often foll by out or away) nautical to slacken or pay out (cable or chain)

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Other Word Forms

• veeringly adverb

Etymology

Origin of veer¹

First recorded in 1575–85, veer is from the Middle French word virer to turn

Origin of veer²

1425–75; late Middle English vere < Middle Dutch vieren to let out

Explanation

To veer is to make a sudden turn, like when a driver veers off the pavement or a pleasant conversation veers off in a troubling direction. When you make any quick change of direction you veer. You can veer toward an attractive person at a party, leaving your friends mid-sentence. You veer away from an oncoming truck on the highway to avoid getting crushed. Originally, veer described a change in the direction of the wind, but as you can see, today, anyone or anything that changes direction veers.

Example Sentences

In fact, US President Donald Trump has himself seemed to veer between them depending on which day he is talking and who to.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

What we don’t know yet is when they hallucinate, or when they veer from guidelines or recommendations.

From Slate • Jan. 21, 2026

With Netflix’s algorithmic approach and its need to keep its shelves overflowing with mostly second-rate material, might not the result veer toward AI slop?

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 9, 2025

Maruja, “Look Down on Us” Ten virtuosic minutes that veer from filthy, noise-decayed bass and hardcore circle-pitting to exalted cosmic jazz and a gasping sentiment that almost, maybe resembles hope for our dismal present.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 4, 2025

The bus had to veer sharply to avoid a collection of diplomatic limos.

From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer

Related Words

• bend
• deflect
• depart
• deviate
• diverge
• divert
• drift
• pivot
• shift
• skid
• swerve
• swing
• twist
• whirl