Meaning & use
swervy
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparableinformal
Moving in a jerky, curving way that keeps changing direction, especially while driving or steering.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after a linking verb: a swervy driver; the car felt swervy.
Patterns
- a swervy driver
- a swervy path
- feel swervy
The truck ahead of us was swervy, drifting across both lanes.
He drew a swervy line down the page instead of a straight one.
After the storm the bike felt swervy on the wet road.
adjectivecomparableinformalfigurative
Behaving in an unpredictable, unreliable way that keeps changing.
Grammar: Informal and mainly predicative: the plan was swervy; less often before a noun.
Patterns
- a swervy plan
- be swervy about something
Her answers were swervy, never quite committing to anything.
The company's swervy strategy confused its investors.
He's been swervy about whether he's coming or not.
Word forms
| comparative | swervier |
|---|---|
| superlative | swerviest |
Common combinations
- swervy driving
- The officer pulled him over for swervy driving.
- a swervy road
- The bus lurched along the swervy mountain road.
- feel swervy
- The steering started to feel swervy at high speed.
- swervy handwriting
- His swervy handwriting is hard to read.
- swervy behavior
- Her swervy behavior made the team nervous.
Synonyms and how they differ
- winding
- Describes a road or path with many curves; it is neutral and does not suggest jerky or uncontrolled movement the way 'swervy' does.
- erratic
- A more formal word for movement or behavior that is unpredictable; use it in writing when 'swervy' feels too casual.
- unsteady
- Focuses on lack of balance rather than changing direction, so it fits a shaky hand better than a swervy car.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: swervy or swervy? swervy or curvy?
swervy vs swervy
Some writers spell it 'swervy' and others 'swervy' with a double r; the single-r spelling is the usual one.
swervy vs curvy
'Curvy' describes smooth, pleasing curves, often of a body or road, while 'swervy' suggests sudden, uncontrolled changes of direction.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'swervy' in the most natural way?
Choose one answer.
'Swervy' is an adjective, so it fits after 'was' to describe the car. Option 1 uses it as a verb, option 2 as a noun, and option 3 as a verb with a preposition, all of which are ungrammatical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “swervy”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.