pinwheel

verb

Definition of pinwheelnext
as in to rotate
to move in circles around an axis or center the kayaker had got sucked into the whirlpool, and his kayak was pinwheeling helplessly

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pinwheel Forecasters warned of the arrival Thursday into Friday of a second intensifying low pressure area, which will pinwheel around the first bomb cyclone in an atmospheric interaction known as the Fujiwara Effect. — Andrew Freedman, Axios, 18 Nov. 2024 Some of the outer rain bands and a few storms from Beta will pinwheel into the area from the east and southeast. — Dallas News, 20 Sep. 2020 The man in the white vest pinwheeled his arms, ushering volunteers through the pick-up line outside the Salvation Army Community Center on Fourth Street with military precision. — Lizzie Johnson, SFChronicle.com, 25 Dec. 2019 According to the space agency, IC 2051 is a spiral galaxy, noticeable in its whirling, pinwheeling arms and a bar of stars cutting through its center. — Fox News, 23 Dec. 2019 See All Example Sentences for pinwheel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pinwheel
  1. rotate
  2. revolve
  3. spin
  4. twirl
Verb
  • Earlier this year, Jo Malone London transformed Center Stage, the rotating pop-up space on the main floor of Nordstrom’s New York flagship, into an immersive vegetable garden in celebration of its Brit Veggies Collection, for example.
    — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Capitol Corner Bar plans to offer rotating seasonal cocktails, too.
    — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of rotate
Verb
  • Kura Sushi, a tech-forward revolving sushi bar with more than 100 menu items, also debuted in Ballantyne this summer.
    — Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Over the past two decades, the CCP has come to revolve ever more tightly around a single man.
    — Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of revolve
Verb
  • In the book, Lucy and Mina, the two main female characters caught up in the web of horror spun by the terrifying Transylvanian count Dracula, stand out as strong, intelligent and courageous.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Then came the surprising part The team used muon spin relaxation to look for extremely weak magnetic fields inside the material.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of spin
Verb
  • Schlittler sent his hometown Red Sox packing last October, striking out 12 while twirling eight scoreless innings in Game 3 of the 2025 Wild Card Series.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Ornate crystal fixtures illuminated the grand ballroom as dancers in Prohibition-era attire twirled to the music.
    — Michelle Polizzi, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of twirl

Browse Nearby Words

pinup girls
pinwheel
pinwheeled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pinwheel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pinwheel. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All