What does "veer" mean?
A turn or swerve; an instance of veering.
Veer
/vɪə̯/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A turn or swerve; an instance of veering.
- Grammar: veer is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: aberrancy, aberration, about ship, alter.
- Useful contrasts: consistency, course, stability.
- Usage evidence: This done, the sailyards to the wind we veer, / and leave the Grecians and the land of fear.
How to use "veer"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "veer" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "veer" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "veer" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "veer" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "veer" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "aberrancy" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "veer", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A turn or swerve; an instance of veering.
"[…] there is always a sudden, though small rise in the barometer, and a sudden drop of temperature of several degrees, sometimes as much as ten or fifteen degrees; there is also a sudden veer in the wind direction."
- 2 A piglet or a heifer. Cornwall
"But with us veers are little pigs; and in some parishes heifers are called veers too. So you see it is not such a noble name with us, that I was going to be startled at the idea of a veer eating up my grass."
Verb
- 1 To let out (a sail-line), to allow (a sheet) to run out. obsolete
"As when a skilfull Marriner doth reed / A storme approching, that doth perill threat, / He will not bide the daunger of such dread, / But strikes his sayles, and vereth his mainsheat, / And lends vnto it leaue the emptie ayre to beat."
- 2 To change direction or course suddenly; to swerve. intransitive
"The car slid on the ice and veered out of control."
- 3 shift to a clockwise direction wordnet
- 4 To shift in a clockwise direction (if in the Northern Hemisphere, or in a counterclockwise direction if in the Southern Hemisphere). intransitive
"1966, F. K. Hare, The Restless Atmosphere, 4th edition, Hutchinson University Library It is clear that when a front passes the observer, there must be a sudden shift in wind: in the northern hemisphere it will always veer, that is, shift in a clockwise sense."
- 5 turn sharply; change direction abruptly wordnet
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 To shift aft. intransitive
- 7 To change direction into the wind; to wear ship. intransitive
- 8 To turn. transitive
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"This done, the sailyards to the wind we veer, / and leave the Grecians and the land of fear."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "veer"?
Common synonyms include: aberrancy, aberration, about ship, alter, ameliorate, angle.
How do you use "veer" in a sentence?
This done, the sailyards to the wind we veer, / and leave the Grecians and the land of fear.
How do you pronounce "veer"?
Pronounced /vɪə̯/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Middle Dutch vieren (“to slacken”).
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Middle French virer.