How to pronounce swerve
Say it like SWURV. Swerve is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce swerve. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SWURV
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Swerve pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SWURVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of swerve
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: SWURV.
What does swerve mean?
- A sudden movement out of a straight line, for example to avoid a collision.
- A deviation from duty or custom.
- Synonym of drift (“sideways movement imparted by spin bowler”).
- To go out of a straight line; to deflect.
- To wander from any line prescribed, or from a rule or duty; to depart from what is established by law, duty, custom, or the like; to deviate.
- To bend; to incline; to give way.
Where does swerve come from?
From Middle English swerven, swarven, from Old English sweorfan (“to file; rub; polish; scour; turn aside”), from Proto-Germanic *swerbaną (“to rub off; wipe; mop”), from Proto-Indo-European *swerbʰ- (“to turn; wipe; sweep”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with swerve
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of swerve.
Questions about saying swerve
How do you pronounce swerve?
Say SWURV. The American pronunciation is /swɝv/. In British English it is /swɜːv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in swerve?
Swerve is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SWURV.
Is swerve pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /swɜːv/ (SWURV).