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
Relevance
2
as in confusion
a state of mental uncertainty
so many changes at once had her all in a whirl
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stir
a state of noisy, confused activity
lost an earring in the whirl of the party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
3
as in to rotate
to move in circles around an axis or center
the gambler held his breath as the roulette wheel whirled
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to speed
to proceed or move quickly
cars whirling by on the highway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whirl
Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 26 May 2026
Although quite a few movies have taken place against the whirl of the Cannes Film Festival, only a handful have been shot within sanctioned festival spaces — often because of artistic, logistical and financial constraints.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
Firefighters witnessed a rare ‘ash devil’ while battling the Trinity fire in San Bernardino County — a whirling column of hot ash and embers created when rising heat meets shifting winds.
—Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for whirl
Noun
Victoria and her fiancé made arrangements for a babysitter to watch their 5-month-old son and brought her ticket to the Maryland Lottery's headquarters in Baltimore for her chance to give The Big Spin Wheel a whirl.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 26 May 2026
Although quite a few movies have taken place against the whirl of the Cannes Film Festival, only a handful have been shot within sanctioned festival spaces — often because of artistic, logistical and financial constraints.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Verb
Admittedly, on its best day, Penn Station feels like a whirling dervish.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
Firefighters witnessed a rare ‘ash devil’ while battling the Trinity fire in San Bernardino County — a whirling column of hot ash and embers created when rising heat meets shifting winds.
—Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for whirl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirl
Noun
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Our team has reviewed dozens of the best sheet sets over the years, and these Boll & Branch sheets are part of shopping director Rachel Fletcher’s own rotation.—
Blake Bakkila,
Architectural Digest,
23 June 2026
-
Beneficiaries of the urgent, unprecedented buildout of computing capacity are carrying the indexes, with timely rotations into the broader array of stocks allowing the leaders to rest periodically.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
Noun
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Washington Examiner columnist Guy Benson said former President Joe Biden’s moment of confusion at the Obama Presidential Center’s dedication ceremony doesn’t paint a good image for Democrats.—
Britta Miller,
The Washington Examiner,
20 June 2026
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Some confusion remained Saturday as to the terms of the settlement with the state, how close the parties are to that settlement and how much of the city’s street art would be removed under that agreement.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
20 June 2026
Noun
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The cover girl, who is drawn on the box, has created a stir.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
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Rag and Bone’s Miramar line has caused a stir among celebrities and editors alike since its debut a few years ago.—
Erika Reals,
InStyle,
23 June 2026
Noun
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After stealing 16 bases in 19 tries in ‘24, Merrill was 1-for-3 in steal attempts in his first 44 games last season.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 June 2026
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The Hurricanes scored 113 tries in 17 matches in 2026 and finished as the first team in Super Rugby's 30-year history to score more than 100 tries in a season.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 June 2026
Verb
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In the video, Jelly Roll addressed their divorce and rumors swirling around their split.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
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Blue and orange confetti swirled through the air during the parade.—
Anthony Izaguirre,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
Verb
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The most common way to enrich uranium is by spinning uranium gas in a centrifuge, where lighter U-235 separates from the heavier U-238.—
Adithi Ramakrishnan,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
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In fact, some are doing little to hide their skepticism – and, in some cases, outright frustration – with the memorandum of understanding, which White House officials hope to spin into a more lasting peace agreement and nuclear accord.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
Verb
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Keep a core of year-round basics, then rotate a few season-specific pieces in and out as the weather turns.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
19 June 2026
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Researchers from the University of Technology Sydney found that rotating and restacking layers of hBN can significantly alter the color and wavelength of light emitted by quantum emitters embedded within the material.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Members of the European Parliament voted 418 to 218 Wednesday with 30 abstentions to approve the Return Regulation, a measure designed to speed up the removal of third-country nationals who are staying illegally in the European Union.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
20 June 2026
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Internal decisions are speeding up, and work that once stretched across days can now happen in minutes.—
Patricia Camden,
Fortune,
20 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirl. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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