whirlpool

noun

whirl·​pool ˈ(h)wər(-ə)l-ˌpül 

1

a

: 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

2

a

: 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

Synonyms of whirlpool

• vortex

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

The pool may be small and shallow (five-foot depth)–and there’s only one whirlpool–but passengers can see the ocean from both sides of the ship. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2026

Swirls of synths follow like a churning whirlpool of insecurity. —Lydia Wei, Pitchfork, 13 Apr. 2026

In addition to weights and five specialized classrooms, the club includes two outdoor pools, a lounging deck, locker areas with a whirlpool, sauna, steam room, and cold plunge. —Noah Daly april 9, Idaho Statesman, 9 Apr. 2026

But Harriet Tubman hasn’t written verses or choruses for her, instead opting for a whirlpool of slushy guitar and sticky rhythms that swirls around Muldrow’s impressionistic declarations and assertive meditations. —Reed Jackson, SPIN, 30 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing whirlpool

• whirlpool bath

Rhymes for whirlpool

• ampoule
• bascule
• carpool
• cesspool
• ferrule
• footstool
• guayule
• lobule
• misrule
• preschool
• pustule
• boule

Kids Definition

whirlpool

noun

whirl·​pool ˈhwər(-ə)l-ˌpül 

ˈwər(-ə)l-

1

: water moving rapidly in a circle with a hollow in the center into which floating objects are drawn : eddy

2

: whirlpool bath

Medical Definition

whirlpool

noun

whirl·​pool ˈhwər(-ə)l-ˌpül, ˈwər(-ə)l- 

: whirlpool bath