as in spiral
turning around an axis like the thread of a screw
Sirius, the brightest star in the heavens, travels a helical path through space
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Recent Examples of helical
The magnetic field might be shaped like a spiral (called helical) or doughnut shaped (called toroidal).
—
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Aug. 2025
Along with that, the research team also noted helical fiber structures, also with collagen, which suggests the cartilage is designed to prevent any cracks from spreading, and help to distribute staring and force.
—Discover Magazine, 20 May 2025
Among its features is the tourbillon at 5 o’clock, two six-column wheels to operate the different levers of the split-seconds function, a specific clamp design and a blade instead of the traditional helical spring.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 2 May 2025
Nelson’s team can use its magnets to control a helical microrobot with magnetic fields of less than 10 millitesla, a fraction of what’s created in an MRI.
—IEEE Spectrum, 1 June 2015
See All Example Sentences for helical
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Aug. 2025
Along with that, the research team also noted helical fiber structures, also with collagen, which suggests the cartilage is designed to prevent any cracks from spreading, and help to distribute staring and force.
—Discover Magazine, 20 May 2025
Among its features is the tourbillon at 5 o’clock, two six-column wheels to operate the different levers of the split-seconds function, a specific clamp design and a blade instead of the traditional helical spring.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 2 May 2025
Nelson’s team can use its magnets to control a helical microrobot with magnetic fields of less than 10 millitesla, a fraction of what’s created in an MRI.
—IEEE Spectrum, 1 June 2015
See All Example Sentences for helical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for helical
Adjective
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The resulting look was a volume-packed, fluffy head of tiny spiral curls that could be dramatically teased.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
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But a new study points in a different direction, linking them instead to superwind outflows from spiral host galaxies.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Thake took a long and winding trip down the memories of South Yorkshire football, a path which eventually led him to the living room of a shy, almost reclusive Rotherham man called Terry Moran.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
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The Didi and Gogo that Sparks and Shannon created were full of blood and bile, real people with — no matter how obscured in its details by time and circumstance — a long and winding relationship.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Helical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helical. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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