whirl

1 of 2

verb

whirled; whirling; whirls

intransitive verb

1
: to move in a circle or similar curve especially with force or speed
2
a
: to turn on or around an axis like a wheel : rotate
b
: to turn abruptly around or aside : wheel
whirled around in surprise
3
: to pass, move, or go quickly
whirled down the hallway
4
: to become giddy or dizzy : reel
my head is whirling

transitive verb

1
: to drive, impel, or convey with or as if with a rotary motion
2
a
: to cause to turn usually rapidly on or around an axis : rotate
b
: to cause to turn abruptly around or aside
3
obsolete : to throw or hurl violently with a revolving motion
whirler noun

whirl

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a rapid rotating or circling movement
b
: something undergoing such a movement
2
a
: a busy or fast-paced succession of events : bustle
a whirl of activity
the social whirl
b
: a confused or disturbed mental state : turmoil
a whirl of febrile excitementEmily Skeel
3
: an experimental or brief attempt : try
gave it a whirl

Examples of whirl in a Sentence

Verb The cars were whirling around the track. Clothes were whirling in the washing machine. The water whirled around the drain. Her dance partner whirled her around. Noun My head was in a whirl. the whirl of the mechanical ride made him dizzy See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Her impassioned flow — which navigates through whirling R&B melismas and fiery rap bars — and endearing personality shined through early in the series. Ingrid Fajardo, Billboard, 10 May 2023 For travel From the brand that gave the world electric epilators in the ’80s, this compact powerhouse (3 ounces, 4 inches tall, 40 whirling tweezers) makes for a great travel partner. Abbie Kozolchyk, wsj.com, 17 Oct. 2023 Minus a few minor deviations, plots of stellar orbits in other galaxies consistently show stars from center to rim all whirling with similar speed, as if held in dark matter’s gravitational grip. Adam Mann, Scientific American, 11 Oct. 2023 But like the darkest, whirling undercurrents of the Umpqua River, her trauma runs deep. Will Lanzoni, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2023 During his playing days, the seasons whirled by: league games, cup games, European games, international games, all piled on top of each other. Rory Smith, New York Times, 23 May 2023 Nurses in green scrubs attached bags of intravenous hydration fluids to the arms of even the tiniest patients as fans whirled and two air conditioners dripped and chugged. Annie Gowen, Niko Kommenda and Saiyna Bashir, Anchorage Daily News, 5 Sep. 2023 Moore has been an all-purpose weapon, flying out of the backfield, whirling out of the slot and giving Amari Cooper a run for his route-running money. Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland, 29 Aug. 2023 Eminem is a mischievous, whirling dervish, wrestling real and imagined demons side by side. Bob Guccione Jr, Spin, 21 Aug. 2023
Noun
The Dune actor rocked the same blue pants, white cutout tank top and red underwear that Sivan does in his music video — and gave the music video choreography a whirl, too. Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 13 Nov. 2023 The weekend flew by, a delirious whirl of excellent food (Samuelsson’s Marcus at the Baha Mar Fish & Chop House was especially transcendent), cabana lounging, flamingo gawking, and rejuvenating deep-tissue massages. Brittani Sonnenberg, Travel + Leisure, 16 Oct. 2023 The river is veiled with mist, and the water foams and whirls with driftwoods after a heavy rain. John Branch Adam Stoltman, New York Times, 14 July 2023 How to Curl Hair With a Flat Iron or Straightener Your flat iron can do more than straighten: Bryce Scarlett, celebrity hairstylist for Moroccanoil, tells us how to give it a whirl: Use a flat iron for beachy waves Start at your brow. April Franzino, Good Housekeeping, 8 Sep. 2023 According to researchers, this whirl had winds of around 143 miles per hour and reached temperatures up to 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Aug. 2023 Give the viral Kahi balm a whirl or Thank You Farmer's for a dose of hydration on the go. Sarah Han, Allure, 12 Oct. 2023 This design was relatively restrained: extra piped whirls of Swiss meringue buttercream, tinged a faint pinkish-caramel color from the addition of muscovado, crowned around the edges with pomegranate seeds and fennel fronds and small purple flowers. Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2023 En route from front to back, diners pass a semi-open kitchen and a whirl of cooks. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 11 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whirl.' 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

Verb

Middle English, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse hvirfla to whirl; akin to Old High German wirbil whirlwind, Old English hweorfan to turn — more at wharf

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of whirl was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near whirl

Cite this Entry

“Whirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whirl. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

whirl

1 of 2 verb
ˈhwər(-ə)l How to pronounce whirl (audio)
ˈwər(-ə)l
1
: to move or drive in a circle or curve especially with force or speed
cars whirling around the track
2
a
: to turn rapidly in circles : spin
b
: to turn abruptly : wheel
whirled around in surprise
3
: to move or go quickly
whirled down the street
4
: to become dizzy : reel
my head is whirling
whirler
ˈhwər-lər How to pronounce whirl (audio)
ˈwər-
noun

whirl

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: a rapid whirling movement
b
: something whirling
a whirl of dust
2
a
: a state of busy movement : bustle
a whirl of activity
b
: a confused mental state
3
: an experimental attempt : try
gave it a whirl

More from Merriam-Webster on whirl

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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