purl

verb

Definition of purlnext
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 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
  • After all, what begins inside the body will always ripple out into the wider world.
    — Robert Rubsam, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Until that happens, there’s your growing discontent, and there are the distortions that ripple through your field whenever there’s a lack of clarity.
    — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of ripple
Verb
  • Bake until the topping is dark golden brown and fruit juices are bubbling at the surface of the cobbler, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Return to medium-high heat, cover pan with a tight-fitting lid, and cook until mussels open and sauce is bubbling, 5–7 minutes.
    — Claire Wadsworth, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 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
  • The Rays’ first run of the inning came when Cedric Mullins dribbled a ball to first baseman Ty France, who made as if to throw home before seeing Caminero was too close to the plate.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • When Grealish dribbles past right-back Mats Wieffer, Everton’s centre-forward moves inside, grabbing De Cuyper’s attention, which is enough for Ndiaye to attack the back post and score from his team-mate’s cross.
    — Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 26 Aug. 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 9 Sep. 2026.

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