change lanes

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

an idiom meaning to shift direction, strategy, career, or approach, derived from the motorway manoeuvre of moving from one lane of traffic to another to travel at a different speed or take a different exit; changing lanes implies a deliberate reorientation rather than a drift — you signal your intention, check your mirrors, and make a purposeful move into a different stream; in professional and personal contexts the phrase is commonly used to describe mid-career redirections, strategic pivots by organisations, or the decision to pursue a fundamentally different life path; unlike going off the rails, changing lanes is generally a controlled and intentional act, though it carries the risk of misjudging the speed and proximity of traffic in the new lane