By Mary Morel
Careen means swerving from side to side and career means full speed.
The car careened wildly down the street.
The car careered down the street.
If you saw either car coming toward to you, you’d be best to get out of the way!
I don’t think these words are commonly used today, but a friend of mine notices when newspapers confuse these two words.
Online grammar programs
Learn more about commonly confused words with my online courses on word usage:
- 100 Commonly Confused Words ($19.95)
- Working with Words (A$39)
They both cover word usage in more detail.