spiral

1 of 3

adjective

spi·​ral ˈspī-rəl How to pronounce spiral (audio)
1
a
: winding around a center or pole and gradually receding from or approaching it
the spiral curve of a watch spring
b
c
: spiral-bound
a spiral notebook
2
: of or relating to the advancement to higher levels through a series of cyclical movements
spirally adverb

spiral

2 of 3

noun

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:
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

spiral

3 of 3

verb

spiraled or spiralled; spiraling or spiralling

intransitive verb

: to go and especially to rise or fall in a spiral course
costs spiraled upward

transitive verb

1
: to form into a spiral
2
: to cause to spiral

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
Adjective
Gold craft wire wrapped around a cylinder creates a spiral shape and is attached with small craft-grade nails. Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Oct. 2024 This particular set comes with two spiral books packed with the special paper, stencils, wooden sticks, and a box to keep their creations safe. Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 27 Sep. 2024
Noun
The spirals were amazing and showed how far the girls have come in only two years of competition. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2024 As auroras form, Earth's magnetic field redirects the particles toward the poles through a process that produces a stunning display of rays, spirals and flickers that has fascinated humans for millennia. Max Hauptman, USA TODAY, 4 Oct. 2024
Verb
The unpredictable nature of these actions heightens the risk of accidents, miscommunication, or misjudgments that could lead a minor incident to spiral into a broader conflict. Erik Lin-Greenberg, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2024 In the spring, Rolling Stone quoted her at length detailing the particular joys of onanism and her appreciation for the female body, which spiraled out across several tabloid news cycles. Alessandra Codinha, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for spiral 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spiral.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Medieval Latin spiralis, from Latin spira coil — more at spire

First Known Use

Adjective

1551, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1834, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of spiral was in 1551

Dictionary Entries Near spiral

Cite this Entry

“Spiral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spiral. Accessed 16 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

spiral

1 of 3 adjective
spi·​ral ˈspī-rəl How to pronounce spiral (audio)
1
: winding or circling around a center and gradually getting closer to or farther away from it
the spiral curve of a watch spring
2
: winding around an axis like the thread of a screw
a spiral staircase
spirally adverb

spiral

2 of 3 noun
1
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

1 of 2 adjective
spi·​ral ˈspī-rəl How to pronounce spiral (audio)
1
a
: winding around a center or pole and gradually receding from or approaching it
b
: helical
the spiral structure of DNA
2
: being a fracture in which the break is produced by twisting apart the bone
a double spiral break
spirally adverb

spiral

2 of 2 noun
1
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on spiral

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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