reel 1 of 2

noun

Definition of reelnext
as in rotation
a rapid turning about on an axis or central point she slipped and, after an out-of-control reel, fell on her backside

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reel

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to spin
to be in a confused state as if from being twirled around his mind reeled upon hearing the news that his employer had been indicted for fraud

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stagger
to move forward while swaying from side to side got off the amusement park ride reeling and barely able to stand

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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 reel
Noun
Ten straight hours of baking are edited into 90-second reels of prep work on Roll & Dough’s social pages, which Pierre, who is soft-spoken yet brutally honest, overlays with confessional voiceovers. — Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026 Every child age 12 and younger who participates will receive a free fishing rod and reel to take home while supplies last. — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
Before the Medicaid cuts passed, a huge lobbying campaign to spare hospitals didn’t stop the law — and the cuts in some ways became more severe as lobbyists pressed lawmakers to reel them back. — Daniel Payne, STAT, 27 Aug. 2026 Allies left vulnerable Elsewhere, American allies are reeling from the realization that the United States’ unambiguous commitment to protecting them might be wavering. — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reel
  1. rotation
  2. spin
  3. stagger
  4. roll
  5. swim
  6. weave
  7. wheel
  8. lurch
Noun
  • The mechanical trick Draco uses to solve field rotation, the slow twisting of the sky's image that causes those star trails, is almost backward.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Smith-Shawver, currently part of the Braves’ six-man rotation, did not strengthen his case to be part of the team’s postseason starting pitching plans.
    — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of rotation
Verb
  • Marie has been reduced to a low-pressure system that is still spinning offshore and sending a deep tropical air mass to the Southern California region, said climate scientist Daniel Swain.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • DJs spun Wasian musicians, including Rodrigo, Mitski, and Japanese Breakfast.
    — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of spin
Verb
  • Cue years of staggered, steadily worsening consequences, unboxed by Strippoli with gruesome relish.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 7 Sep. 2026
  • As the deli’s surveillance video rolled, his client went from calmly standing at the counter with a bottle of Gatorade to staggering to the floor, clutching his leg and tearing at his pants.
    — Alison J. Stein, HubSpot, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of stagger
Noun
  • All rooms are wheelchair accessible with 36-inch wide interior doors; lowered peepholes, closet rods, and shelving; and ADA-compliant transfer or roll-in showers.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Sep. 2026
  • A lot of voters on the rolls who will be voting in November were not living here four, six or eight years ago.
    — Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of roll
Verb
  • Meteorologists urged beachgoers to only swim near lifeguards and stay off rock jetties.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Winter also brings memorable encounters with whales across Australia, including swimming with dwarf minke whales along the Great Barrier Reef from June through July and spotting migrating humpbacks along the east coast from May through October.
    — Stuart Rigg, Travel + Leisure, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of swim
Verb
  • Brizé weaves between these absurd moments and two slow-simmering crises that cause Carla to begin doubting her diehard commitment to work.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Saigon is set in two different restaurants at two moments in time — 1990s France and 1950s Vietnam — as Nguyen weaves the lives and longings of strangers into an intimate and expansive story of connection in exile.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of weave
Noun
  • Curb cuts — those graded concrete ramps at the edge of sidewalk corners that allow anyone and anything with wheels to glide gently onto the street below — aren’t really the sort of thing most people think about.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026
  • These vehicles utilize electric motors to burn less fuel through internal combustion and drive power to move wheels with electrical energy.
    — Charles Singh, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of wheel
Verb
  • The latest tit-for-tat strikes come as Washington and Tehran lurch back toward fighting during more than six months of war.
    — Konstantin Toropin, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Push your right foot down, and the Grand Sport lurches forward like a bat out of hell and straight into two esses, which right away show you how nicely dialed-in the steering is.
    — Jerry Perez, The Drive, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of lurch

Phrases Containing reel

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reeky
reel
reeled
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Cite this Entry

“Reel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reel. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on reel

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reel

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