1
a
: winding around a center or pole and gradually receding from or approaching it
the spiral curve of a watch spring
b
: helical
c
: spiral-bound
a spiral notebook
2
: of or relating to the advancement to higher levels through a series of cyclical movements
1
a
: the path of a point in a plane moving around a central point while continuously receding from or approaching it
b
: a three-dimensional curve (such as a helix) with one or more turns about an axis
2
: a single turn or coil in a spiral object
3
: something having a spiral form as:
a
b(1)
: a spiral flight
(2)
: a kick or pass in which a football rotates on its long axis while moving through the air
4
: a continuously spreading and accelerating increase or decrease
wage spirals
spiraled or spiralled; spiraling or spiralling
: to go and especially to rise or fall in a spiral course
costs spiraled upward
Examples of spiral in a Sentence
Adjective
a spiral staircase takes visitors up into the Statue of Liberty
Noun
The glider flew in a wide spiral over the field.
The quarterback threw a tight spiral to the receiver.
Verb
Smoke spiraled up from the chimney.
The airplane spiraled to the ground and crashed.
The unemployment rate has been spiraling upward.
The stock market is spiraling downward.
Let's deal with this crisis before it spirals out of control.
Recent Examples on the Web
Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 9 May 2025
Round Houses One of Wright’s most famous designs is the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, notable for its spiral ramp and radical cylindrical shape.
—Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 8 May 2025
Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 16 May 2025
Plaza said Ayala put too much pressure on herself last season, letting a slow start spiral, but worked hard in the offseason to regain her starting position — and her smile.
—Bobby Narang, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2025
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 16 May 2025
Andonovski said the game was important to ensure consecutive losses to North Carolina and Seattle didn’t spiral.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiral
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Adjective
Scientists still don't know why galaxies like this one take on this spiral shape, in part because of the sheer diversity of other examples.
—Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 9 May 2025
Round Houses One of Wright’s most famous designs is the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, notable for its spiral ramp and radical cylindrical shape.
—Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 8 May 2025
Noun
The biggest blow, sending the pop star into a dark spiral, was when doctors told Tesfaye his vocal cord problems were mental rather than physical.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 16 May 2025
Plaza said Ayala put too much pressure on herself last season, letting a slow start spiral, but worked hard in the offseason to regain her starting position — and her smile.
—Bobby Narang, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2025
Verb
But when the experiment spirals out of control, the group is forced into a nightmarish battle for survival as their reality begins to unravel.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 16 May 2025
Andonovski said the game was important to ensure consecutive losses to North Carolina and Seattle didn’t spiral.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiral
Cite this Entry
“Spiral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spiral. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spiral
2 of 3 noun1
a
: a curve in a plane that winds around a point while getting closer to or farther away from it
b
: a curve (as a helix) in space that winds around an axis
2
: a single turn or coil in a spiral object
3
: something having a spiral form
spiral
3 of 3 verb
spiraled or spiralled; spiraling or spiralling
: to move in a spiral path
Medical Definition
spiral
2 of 2 noun1
: the path of a point in a plane moving around a central point while continuously receding from or approaching it
2
: a three-dimensional curve (as a helix) with one or more turns about an axis
the double spiral of DNA
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