swirls; swirled; swirling
: to move in circles or to cause (something) to move in circles
She swirled the drink (around) in her glass.
The water swirled around/down the drain.
strong swirling winds
—often used figurativelyRumors are swirling about/around the team. [=there are a lot of rumors about the team]
plural swirls
1
: a twisting or swirling movement, form, or object
A swirl of smoke rose from the chimney.
He painted swirls of color on the canvas.
ice cream with chocolate swirls
2
: a state of busy movement or activity
—usually + of
She was caught up in the swirl of events.
Cite this Entry
“Swirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/swirl. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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