veered
Turned off sharply
Veered is the past tense of veer, meaning to change direction suddenly or shift course.
A car veers off the road; a conversation veers into awkward territory.
The ship veered sharply to avoid the rocks.
Our discussion veered from politics to sports.
The word often implies an abrupt or unexpected change rather than a gradual turn.
Turned abruptly aside
- turnedRotated or changed direction
- divertedTurned from original path
- deflectedCaused to veer off
- shiftedChanged place or position
curved · angled · bent · yawed · pivoted · banked · arced · careened
Moved off course
- divergedSeparated from a course
- departedHaving left
- deviatedDeparted from standard
- wanderedMoved without fixed course
drifted · digressed · detoured · branched · varied · shifted · altered · changed
Changed place or position
- changedMade or became different
- swungMoved in curve
- pivotedTurned on axis
- lurchedMoved with sudden unsteadiness
oscillated · fluctuated · wavered · tacked · switched · transitioned · moved · gravitated
Without gradual transition
- sharplyIn a cutting manner
- suddenlyWithout prior indication
- unexpectedlyWithout prior indication
- quicklyAt high speed
rapidly · instantly · dramatically · wildly · violently · erratically · unpredictably · startlingly
swerved
Turned abruptly aside
shifted · curved · angled · bent · yawed · pivoted · banked · arced · careened · swung
strayed
Moved off course
wandered · drifted · digressed · detoured · branched · varied · shifted · altered · changed · went astray
shifted
Changed place or position
lurched · oscillated · fluctuated · wavered · tacked · switched · transitioned · moved · gravitated · leaned
abruptly
Without gradual transition
- sharplyIn a cutting manner
- suddenlyWithout prior indication
- unexpectedlyWithout prior indication
quickly · rapidly · instantly · dramatically · wildly · violently · erratically · unpredictably · startlingly · alarmingly