swirled; swirling; swirls
1
a
: to move with an eddying or whirling motion
swirling water
b
: to pass in whirling confusion
2
: to have a twist or convolution
: to cause to swirl
swirled her drink
Examples of swirl in a Sentence
Verb
The water swirled around the drain.
kept swirling her lemonade until the ice had melted and it was completely watered down
Noun
A swirl of smoke rose from the chimney.
He painted swirls of color on the canvas.
ice cream with chocolate swirls
Recent Examples on the Web
Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
From a Tuscan-style castle in Napa to a working farm on Long Island, here are some of the best vineyards where parents can swirl and sip while kids actually have fun.
—Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 June 2026
Laura Manske, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Complete with cinnamon swirls and a vanilla glaze.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for swirl
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Verb
Ready to direct and protect, both from the men and from the swirling chaos that might otherwise harm you.
—Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
From a Tuscan-style castle in Napa to a working farm on Long Island, here are some of the best vineyards where parents can swirl and sip while kids actually have fun.
—Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 June 2026
Noun
Owner and chef Elena Reygadas Castillo’s signature bakery delicacy is a buttery guava roll, devised in an ideal swirl.
—Laura Manske, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Complete with cinnamon swirls and a vanilla glaze.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for swirl
Cite this Entry
“Swirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swirl. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
swirl
1 of 2 noun1
: a whirling mass or motion : eddy
2
: whirling confusion
lost in the swirl of events
3
: a twisting shape, mark, or pattern
swirl
2 of 2 verb1
: to move with or pass in a swirl
2
: to be marked with or arranged in swirls
3
: to cause to swirl
swirlingly
adverb
ˈswər-liŋ-lē
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