whirl 1 of 2

noun

Definition of whirlnext
1
as in rotation
a rapid turning about on an axis or central point the whirl of the mechanical ride made him dizzy

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in confusion
a state of mental uncertainty so many changes at once had her all in a whirl

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity lost an earring in the whirl of the party

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4
as in try
an effort to do or accomplish something I'm pretty good at fixing things, so how about if I give it a whirl?

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whirl

2 of 2

verb

ˈ(h)wər(-ə)l How to pronounce whirl (audio)
1
as in to stir
to cause (as a liquid) to move about in a circle especially repeatedly whirled the chocolate syrup into the milk with a spoon

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2
as in to spin
to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis the figure skater whirled his partner with effortless grace

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3
as in to rotate
to move in circles around an axis or center the gambler held his breath as the roulette wheel whirled

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4
as in to speed
to proceed or move quickly cars whirling by on the highway

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to swim
to be in a confused state as if from being twirled around my mind whirled from all of the excitement

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 whirl
Noun
Macfarlane explained that fire whirls can form when heat generated by a wildfire rises so rapidly that the air begins to spin, similar to how a dust devil or a landspout forms. — Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 27 Aug. 2026 Rey toppled Gable with a tilt-a-whirl and a 10-count punches. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Verb
The sounds of generators humming and chain saws whirling filled the neighborhood Thursday afternoon. — Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026 Too bad then that Sophie is such a softie, secretly inviting the whirling dervish to their two days of rest and relaxation. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for whirl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirl
  1. rotation
  2. confusion
  3. commotion
  4. try
  5. stir
  6. spin
  7. rotate
  8. speed
Noun
  • Officers are sent to this remote station on rotations of two or three months, with fresh water and food delivered weekly by trucks that make a five-hour journey across dusty desert roads.
    — Nathan Jaccard, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
  • While Rubin’s most recent looks have been crafted by makeup artist Shayna Gold, whose A-list client rotation also includes Jennifer Lawrence and Grace Gummer, she has not been named as the visionary behind this one.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of rotation
Noun
  • According to MedlinePlus, symptoms can include a sudden severe headache, sudden dizziness or trouble walking, sudden confusion, and sudden numbness or weakness in the face.
    — Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Other online missives expressed optimism, but many revealed some combination of grief, confusion, and fear.
    — Jordana Cepelewicz, Quanta Magazine, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of confusion
Noun
  • There’s a lot of commotion swirling around you, and much of the drama may not even involve you directly.
    — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Robin’s younger sister Riverley heard the commotion and ran for help.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of commotion
Noun
  • Although other states have moved forward with attempting to execute inmates a second time, in those cases, the first try had been halted before any drug actually began flowing.
    — Kate Brumback, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The Eagles failed to convert a single third down on 12 tries and have been outscored 31-0 in the second half of their last two games, both losses.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of try
Verb
  • Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • To English leftist folkies, lately stirred by Bertrand Russell and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, the lyric, coming from Dylan, would cut through the anti-Americanism not uncommon in their midst.
    — Sean Wilentz, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of stir
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
  • 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
  • Content creator Leah Victoria has turned the recipes she's known for online @leahscucina into a new cookbook full of recipes for busy parents, at-home cooks and anyone looking to speed up their dinner routine.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Sometimes that’s true, especially now that AI can speed up prototyping and development.
    — Malte Kramer, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of speed

Browse Nearby Words

whir
whirl
whirled
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Cite this Entry

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

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