whorl

noun

Definition of whorlnext
as in spiral

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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 whorl Rendered with a deep blue backdrop and whorls of soft spring colors, La femme finds Lopez staring peaceably into the middle distance, holding a bouquet of flowers. — News Desk, Artforum, 21 Apr. 2026 The smoke kept rising and the clouds continued to throb with sickly yellow-and-black whorls until just after sunset, when the boiling mass of vapor suddenly turned pink and scarlet, like a poisonous flower opening its petals. — New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026 But best are moonless nights, when shimmering whorls of the Milky Way fill the night and desert creatures emerge to crawl and slither the dunes. — Anna Zacharias, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Jan. 2026 The clinical focus sits on direction and angulation so transplanted hair blends with natural whorls. — Maria Williams, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for whorl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whorl
  1. spiral
  2. curve
  3. coil
  4. twist
  5. curl
Noun
  • In Proserpina, eleven vertical yellow wooden rods, enrobed in layers of gray and maroon wire netting, increase in length around a wire-mesh spiral that reaches three feet at its tallest point.
    — Nicole Rudick, The New York Review of Books, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Fed officials have emphasized that wages are not a significant source of inflation, with the lack of evidence of a wage-price spiral an important distinction when calibrating policy.
    — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of spiral
Noun
  • In my view, the government must get ahead of that curve by establishing a full-fledged Department of AI, rather than leaving it to a single individual.
    — Yerbol Orynbayev, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The more exaggerated interpretations, with oversized collars that swallow the chin or heavy embellishment, are the ones most at risk of looking dated once the search curve bends.
    — Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of curve
Noun
  • For a decade, hundreds of Black women and girls have gathered in Kansas City wearing curls, coils, locs, braids and Afros for an annual photograph intended to challenge narrow ideas about what beautiful hair is supposed to look like.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2026
  • According to iSense, the air cylinders adjust the feel of the comfort layer while the coil system underneath is designed to provide support.
    — Malana VanTyler, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of coil
Noun
  • The best twists will come out of the moves that the firms can’t possibly anticipate.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Award-winning chef Kai Mueller has created a large and unusual menu that leans into the location, with a much healthier twist (all dishes that are safe to have on the detox programme are clearly marked).
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of twist
Noun
  • For a decade, hundreds of Black women and girls have gathered in Kansas City wearing curls, coils, locs, braids and Afros for an annual photograph intended to challenge narrow ideas about what beautiful hair is supposed to look like.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Underneath, Nicks let her natural curls run wild, cascading down her back and shoulders.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of curl

Browse Nearby Words

whoring
whorl
whorls
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Cite this Entry

“Whorl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whorl. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on whorl

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about whorl

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