as in giddy
having a feeling of being whirled about and in danger of falling down
the blood donor experienced a reeling sensation after standing up too quickly
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in staggering
to move forward while swaying from side to side
got off the amusement park ride reeling and barely able to stand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reeling
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025
Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026
Fergie’s family, like so many at the time, were reeling from a hurricane that ravaged the island four weeks earlier on its way to slam into Galveston, Texas.
—Literary Hub, 16 June 2026
Ten years ago, Orlando was already reeling from a weekend of horror, the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub that left 49 dead, which happened one night after the shooting death of singer Christina Grimmie at a concert.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 June 2026
Anglers are reeling with joy as massive yellowtails showed up just a few miles off the Orange County coast recently, a rare sight close to shore.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 13 June 2026
The tragedy has sent this Southern California agricultural community reeling and raised questions about what more can be done to prevent youth drinking and driving.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
The party is still reeling from its 2024 presidential loss.
—Julia Terruso, Time, 11 June 2026
Corporations are reeling after finding that the cost to access powerful AI tools is soaring — despite showing no clear payoff.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 11 June 2026
Several months had passed since ICE officers were last seen in the Chicago Heights area, Godoy said, and the return left businesses struggling to attract customers, and advocates reeling to organize immigration resources, said Godoy and four other residents.
—Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026
Adjective
Even if Lee were sober and thinking straight, her alluring, blows-hot-and-cold Betty Jo would be impossible for a guy like Lee — reckless, reeling, distractible — to resist.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
Set in Astraea, a bioluminescent city that worships the stars, Florescentia follows Lucia Fairfax, an inventor and occultist reeling from the loss of her husband due to one of her rituals.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026
Fergie’s family, like so many at the time, were reeling from a hurricane that ravaged the island four weeks earlier on its way to slam into Galveston, Texas.
—Literary Hub, 16 June 2026
Ten years ago, Orlando was already reeling from a weekend of horror, the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub that left 49 dead, which happened one night after the shooting death of singer Christina Grimmie at a concert.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 June 2026
Anglers are reeling with joy as massive yellowtails showed up just a few miles off the Orange County coast recently, a rare sight close to shore.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 13 June 2026
The tragedy has sent this Southern California agricultural community reeling and raised questions about what more can be done to prevent youth drinking and driving.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
The party is still reeling from its 2024 presidential loss.
—Julia Terruso, Time, 11 June 2026
Corporations are reeling after finding that the cost to access powerful AI tools is soaring — despite showing no clear payoff.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 11 June 2026
Several months had passed since ICE officers were last seen in the Chicago Heights area, Godoy said, and the return left businesses struggling to attract customers, and advocates reeling to organize immigration resources, said Godoy and four other residents.
—Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reeling
Adjective
-
And then there are the uptempo perennials that made Highland, California the giddiest place on earth.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
19 June 2026
-
Alpha Camp − Nikki Hru, Maddy Jones, Leiya Pillitteri − had seemed giddy with confidence before the flaming arrow competition.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
But there’s never any intention of protecting somebody, or spinning it in a certain way.—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
17 June 2026
-
But everything started with Maradona spinning away from two England players just inside the Argentina half with a lovely piece of skill.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Verb
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The works depicted broken figures staggering toward the viewer in ragged uniforms — in distorted sizes, giant hands and small heads.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
The works depicted broken figures staggering toward the viewer in ragged uniforms — in distorted sizes, giant hand and small heads.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Then came illness on a boiling-hot day, which left him dizzy and depleted of energy.—
Ava Wallace,
New York Times,
8 June 2026
-
During the day's exploring, employ the buddy system and look out for signs of heat illness like feeling dizzy, experiencing nausea or muscle cramps and sweating with cool and clammy skin.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
Verb
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As is Takal, clearly having fun with the film’s queasy, lurching atmospherics, abetted by the sparse, shivery, atonal chimes of Jonathan Goldsmith’s score, and the floating, disembodied feel of Robert Leitzell’s camerawork.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
13 June 2026
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These are some of the heaviest grooves that Seefeel have created in ages, channeling lurching currents through intricate chains of dub delay.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
The magnetar was initially surrounded by a whirling disk of matter, funneling from its inner edge onto the stellar remnant.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The footage appears to show the SUV weaving through traffic at high speed.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
17 June 2026
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Between hauling bags up subway stairs, weaving through Penn Station, and occasionally sprinting to the correct track, comfortable footwear is non-negotiable.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reeling. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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