whirlpool

noun

whirl·pool | \ ˈhwər(-ə)l-ˌpül

, ˈwər(-ə)l-\

Definition of whirlpool

1a : a confused tumult and bustle : whirl

b : a magnetic or impelling force by which something may be engulfed refusing to be drawn into this whirlpool of intrigue— A. D. White

2a : water moving rapidly in a circle so as to produce a depression in the center into which floating objects may be drawn : eddy, vortex

b : whirlpool bath

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Examples of whirlpool in a Sentence

The swimmer was caught in a whirlpool and nearly drowned. in The Odyssey, Ulysses is trapped between the six-headed monster Scylla and Charybdis, a deadly whirlpool that threatens to suck in his ship

Recent Examples on the Web

And the migrants’ interest was agriculture, not muscling a netted sturgeon out of a whirlpool. — Mark Barna, Discover Magazine, "When Farmers and Foragers First Met," 24 Oct. 2018 Facilities on the six decks include a pool, whirlpool, and casino, but the real highlight is the watersports marina that can be lowered down to the waves for easy ocean swimming, kayaking, and more. — Condé Nast Traveler, "The Best Cruise Lines in the World: 2018 Readers' Choice Awards," 9 Oct. 2018 There’s a big purple bolt of lightning that connects the island fragments to an unsettling whirlpool in the sky. — Andrew Webster, The Verge, "A week away from Fortnite feels like forever," 27 Oct. 2018 Surprise Aquatic Center The center is packed with water activities, from zero-depth areas with water features to flume and tunnel slides, a vortex whirlpool, a competition pool, a diving well and two 1-meter boards. — azcentral, "45 Phoenix area splash pads, parks and water features," 14 June 2018 The waterpark has three slides (two tube slides and a body slide); the Waukesha WaterWorks water playground, which has its own children's slides and a dump bucket; and Night Fall Springs, an indoor/outdoor whirlpool. — Amy Schwabe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Memorial Day weekend temps are going to be hot. Luckily, Milwaukee County water parks are open.," 24 May 2018 Highlights include a chartered boat ride to the remote island of Jura; a detour to view the Corryvreckan whirlpool, the third-largest in the world; and two nights on the Isle of Islay, known for its eight whiskey distilleries and coastal landscapes. — Anne Harnagel, latimes.com, "Enjoy walking and whiskey on Scotland’s Argyll Peninsula and four small islands," 30 Apr. 2018 It's long been known that the movement of a baseball creates a whirlpool of air around it, commonly known as the Magnus effect. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Physics can explain the fastball’s unexpected twist, new study finds," 23 Nov. 2018 The evening ends with similar impact, as the full company’s arcing paths of running dancers circuit the stage, at times suggesting a whirlpool, before looping out as a whiplash of punctuation. — Robert Greskovic, WSJ, "‘The Six Brandenburg Concertos’ Review: Falling Short of Bach," 5 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'whirlpool.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.