Meaning & use
Careens
Last updated
Moves swiftly and unsteadily while tilting or swerving, often out of control.
See it in a sentence
The bike careens down the hill, its brakes barely working.
The runaway cart careens through the parking lot before crashing into a curb.
A note on using this word
In nautical usage, "careens" can also mean tilting a ship on its side for cleaning or repair — the source of the word's original meaning of tilting or leaning.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
steadies
Another way to use it
2. verb
Tilts a ship on its side, especially for cleaning, caulking, or repair.
The crew careens the hull twice a year to scrape off barnacles.
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