purl

verb

Definition of purlnext
as in to swirl

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Dissimilar Words

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 purl 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, 12 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purl
  1. swirl
  2. ripple
  3. bubble
  4. eddy
  5. gurgle
  6. dribble
  7. lap
  8. wash
Verb
  • Using huge infrared telescopes that can see through that veil of dust, astronomers have been able to watch some of these stars swirling around the black hole.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Bethany Donaphin Head of WNBA league operations As rumors swirled about Engelbert’s enture, insiders around the league have been mentioning Donaphin as a potential replacement.
    — Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of swirl
Verb
  • The piano part gurgles like the waters with a rippling right-hand figure in sextuplets.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Diesel fuel is used by commercial trucks and other large vehicles, and its cost could ripple into higher transportation costs for consumer goods.
    — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of ripple
Verb
  • The backlash comes as anti-immigrant sentiments bubble to the surface in some parts of the country – despite the number of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats falling to its lowest level since 2020, according to the Home Office.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Try to grab a seat around the bubbling water fountain/fire pit, order a frozen strawberry daiquiri or Blue Hawaiian, and enjoy some quality people watching.
    — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of bubble
Verb
  • Lindsay-Abaire makes a real meal of sketching the rest of the neighborhood association, played by a bevy of nimble theatrical comedians, though their own simmering resentments tend to eddy alongside the central Kyra-Elliot conflict.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2026
  • Moses’s book eddies around with the energy of someone reporting back from a very long and strange evening clicking through Wikipedia links, enjoying every chance to add a tangent.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
Definition of eddy
Verb
  • After years of stomach-gurgling, nail-chewing anxiety, this was an entirely different Arsenal experience.
    — Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Other nearby points of interest include gurgling mud pots, or geothermal mud volcanoes, on the eastern shoreline.
    — Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 18 June 2026
Definition of gurgle
Verb
  • Gauld dribbled through traffic, following a poor pass by a Galaxy defender, and sent in a shot from the penalty spot in the 57th for a 2-0 lead.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Gauld dribbled through traffic, after a poor pass by a Galaxy defender, and sent in a shot from the penalty spot in the 57th for a 2-0 lead.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of dribble
Verb
  • Following the game, coach Jose Mourinho’s sharp comments on the refereeing decisions got lapped up on social media this week, and all eyes will now be on how Madrid bounce back against Inter.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2026
  • And several other power players in college football have lapped the Tigers in just a few short years.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of lap
Verb
  • But behind the crisp white tablecloths, strict dress code and expensive steak dinners was a kitchen full of immigrant workers washing dishes, preparing food and keeping the restaurant running.
    — Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Now, to the handwashing shortcomings, such as a cashier handling customer’s payment, then preparing drinks and serving plates of food to customers without washing hands (cash and payment cards tend to be germ motherships).
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of wash

Browse Nearby Words

purity
purl
purled
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Cite this Entry

“Purl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purl. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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