careen

American  

[kuh-reen] / kəˈrin /

verb (used without object)

1. (of a vehicle) to lean, sway, or tip to one side while in motion.

   The car careened around the corner.

2. (of a ship) to heel over or list.

3. career.

4. South Midland U.S. to lean or bend away from the vertical position.

   The barn was careening a little.

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verb (used with object)

Nautical.

1. to cause (a ship) to lie over on a side, as for repairs or cleaning; heave down.

2. to clean or repair (a ship lying on its side for the purpose).

3. to cause (a ship) to heel over or list, as by the force of a beam wind.

noun

1. a careening.

2. Nautical. the position of a careened ship.

careen British  

/ kəˈriːn /

verb

1. to sway or cause to sway dangerously over to one side

2. (tr) nautical to cause (a vessel) to keel over to one side, esp in order to clean or repair its bottom

3. (intr) nautical (of a vessel) to keel over to one side

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Other Word Forms

• careenage noun
• careener noun

Etymology

Origin of careen

1585–95 careen for def. 9; < Middle French carine < Latin carīna keel, nutshell; akin to Greek káryon nut

Explanation

Whether it’s an unsteady ship, a speeding bus, or a person who is woozy, use the verb careen to describe something that’s teetering from side to side. When the word careen first entered the English language in the sixteenth century, it was used to describe a beached ship that was turned on its side for repair. The word can still refer to making those kinds of nautical repairs, but now you’re more likely to hear the word used to describe something that is swaying from side to side. You may feel like a ship out of control if you careen madly through a crowd or if you careen down a steep hill on skis.

Example Sentences

A daunting prospect after mechanical failure caused his Lotus car to careen into barriers at 160mph in Jerez in 1990.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

When Jack, patrolling alone in a heavy rain, sees Robert’s speeding van careen off a mountain road, he takes possession of the loot, camouflages the crash site and celebrates having become an instant millionaire.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

Her sounds careen and resonate in avant-garde ways that feel primal, even tectonic.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 19, 2025

The more worrisome sign came when the bond market began to careen off the edge.

From Slate • Apr. 12, 2025

But it must be a trick of the light, because as I careen across the gravel, I see the tip of the Sandy June’s sign.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Related Words

• lurch