Curve is a word with several related meanings. It can describe a roundedhaving a curved outline, not straight or angular shape or part of a road, a smooth bend or turning motionthe act or process of moving from one place to another, or a baseball pitch that breaks as it reaches the batterthe player at the plate who tries to hit the ball.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /kɝv/
Easy pronunciation: KURV (approximate spelling).
Stress: One syllable, with the stress on the whole word.
Verb sense: to bend or change direction gradually.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Curve Meaning
to bend or go in a rounded line instead of staying straight
Part of speech: verb
Definition: to bend or change direction gradually
Example: The road curves around the lake.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- bend — Common everyday substitute when something changes direction smoothly.
- wind — Works when something follows a curving path, especially a road or trail.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Curve
Meaning 2
a curved line or shape
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes
Example: The artist drew a smooth curve across the page.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- curved shape — Describes the shape rather than the action.
Meaning 3
to make something curl or bend into a shape
Part of speech: verb
Definition: form a curl, curve, or kink
Example: Humidity can curve the paper edges.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- curl — Fits when something bends into a curled shape.
- kink — Works for a sharper, less smooth bend.
Meaning 4
to turn suddenly
Part of speech: verb
Definition: turn sharply; change direction abruptly
Example: The driver curved left to avoid the parked car.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- swerve — Strong substitute when the change in direction is sudden.
- veer — Common when something changes direction to one side.
- cut — Can work in phrases like 'cut across' or 'cut left,' but is less exact on its own.
- sheer — Used for a sudden sharp turn, especially in navigation or vehicle movement.
- slew — Technical or regional usage for turning sharply.
- slue — Variant spelling/usage of 'slew' in the same sense.
- trend — Can mean turn in a direction, but is less common and may sound literary.
Meaning 5
a part of a road, river, or track that bends
Part of speech: noun
Definition: curved segment (of a road or river or railroad track etc.)
Example: There’s a dangerous curve in the road ahead.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- bend — Natural substitute for a curved section of a road or path.
Meaning 6
the amount of bending in a line or surface
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the property possessed by the curving of a line or surface
Example: The engineer measured the curve of the bridge.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- curvature — Technical term for the degree of bending.
Meaning 7
to spread or go in twisting, curving lines
Part of speech: verb
Definition: extend in curves and turns
Example: The river curves through the valley.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- twist — Works when something follows a twisting path.
- wind — Common when a road, river, or path goes through many bends.
Meaning 8
to have a rounded shape
Part of speech: verb
Definition: form an arch or curve
Example: Her back curved as she stretched.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- arc — Can fit when something forms an arc-like shape, though it is less common as a direct substitute.
- arch — Good when something bends upward in a rounded shape.
Meaning 9
a baseball pitch that breaks sideways
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a pitch of a baseball that is thrown with spin so that its path curves as it approaches the batter
Example: He threw a curve that fooled the batter.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- bender — Informal term for this kind of pitch.
- breaking ball — Broad baseball term for a pitch that moves as it reaches the plate.
- curve ball — Common baseball term; usually written as two words.
Meaning 10
a line on a graph
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a line on a graph representing data
Example: The graph showed a steep upward curve.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Curve Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- bend
- wind
curved shape / line
- curved shape
to form a curl or kink
- curl
- kink
to turn sharply
- swerve
- veer
- sheer
- slew
- slue
- cut
- trend
a curved section of a road or track
- bend
the amount of bending
- curvature
to twist or wind
- twist
- wind
to form an arch
- arc
- arch
baseball pitch
- bender
- breaking ball
- curve ball
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using curve as if it always means a baseball pitch. The most common meanings are the verb 'bend' and the noun 'a curved line or shape'.
- Confusing curve with straight line; they are opposites in the shape sense.
- Writing 'curve ball' as one word in normal usage; it is usually 'curveball' or 'curve ball' depending on style, but the supplied source uses 'curve ball'.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does curve mean in simple English?
Curve usually means to bend or change direction smoothly, or it can refer to a rounded shape or bend in something like a road or line.
What is the most common synonym for curve?
For the verb, a common synonym is bend. For the noun, bend is also often used for a curved section, while curved shape works for the shape itself.
Is curve only used about roads?
No. It can also describe shapes, graph lines, body contours, and a special kind of baseball pitch.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
