eddy 1 of 2

noun

Definition of eddynext
as in swirl
a circular movement of air or water The boat was caught in a powerful eddy.

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eddy

2 of 2

verb

as in to swirl

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of eddy
Noun
Curved roof eaves meanwhile prevent eddies — swirling pockets of air — from producing more localized snow drifts. — Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 25 May 2026 Runs and eddies alternate with deep, brimming pools shaded by leafy trees. — Ted Janes, Outdoor Life, 21 May 2026
Verb
The crowd eddied, some with batons dancing concentrically around the wheel of fire, others collecting around two young men in white. — Aatish Taseer, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2023 As a result, other stray digital ephemera are sucked into this eddying body—fashion photos of NBA baller Chris Paul, a random clip of someone’s dad—all of them in conversation with one another. — Jason Parham, Wired, 14 Feb. 2020 See All Example Sentences for eddy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eddy
  1. swirl
  2. ripple
  3. reel
  4. bubble
  5. spin
  6. purl
  7. spiral
  8. trickle
Noun
  • More excitingly, the swirl of gas appears to be connected to a vast filament of material falling in toward the central supermassive black hole.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 19 July 2026
  • Track seven swathes a nervous dub rhythm in cottony pads and opulent harps; track eight takes us out on an uncharacteristically beatless swirl, like a tide pool full of sea anemones.
    — Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 18 July 2026
Definition of swirl
Verb
  • Disability spans every age, race, culture and socioeconomic background, and investment in accessibility and inclusive programming tends to ripple outward, improving experiences for older adults, veterans, families and caregivers along the way.
    — Keely Cat-Wells, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • On a normal day, there is little to report beyond the small earthquakes that ripple constantly around the world.
    — Andrei Popoviciu, The Dial, 21 July 2026
Definition of ripple
Noun
  • Has a devastating chip block on Abdul Carter featured on his reel.
    — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 24 July 2026
  • The audio was rebuilt from the original three-track 35mm pre-mix reels, restoring clarity and dynamic range long lost in previous versions.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 24 July 2026
Definition of reel
Verb
  • In an alternate universe, one without the stakes and the frenzy bubbling in the distance, Skubal might have gone about things differently.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • That warnings from front-line salespeople took so long to bubble up to senior management, and out to stockholders, is also alarming.
    — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of bubble
Noun
  • Despite the positive spin some try to put on the situation, the whiskey industry is in a bit of a rough patch.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 19 July 2026
  • Ivar laid out Axiom with a spin kick and climbed to the top rope.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
Definition of spin
Verb
  • The two halves of the hook move independently, enabling the device to knit or purl depending on which part picks up the first loop.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2025
  • There was no ocean, no sea in this part of Україна, only a purling river.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 May 2025
Definition of purl
Noun
  • The stalemate has raised fears of an endless war, something Trump campaigned on avoiding, as tit-for-tat attacks continue along an escalating spiral.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 18 July 2026
  • Tom Brady throws a mean spiral, hitting the target to send Rob Gronkowski into 500 gallons of Raising Cane’s Sauce on July 15 in New York City.
    — People Staff, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026
Definition of spiral
Verb
  • Instagram face has kind of trickled down to the general population.
    — Tonya Mosley, NPR, 22 July 2026
  • David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Mortgage rates continued their climb last week, but homebuyers trickled back into the market, perhaps taking advantage of less competition and some price cuts.
    — Diana Olick, CNBC, 22 July 2026
Definition of trickle

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Cite this Entry

“Eddy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eddy. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on eddy

Nglish: Translation of eddy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about eddy

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