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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of reel
Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 26 Feb. 2026
One of her family members, Enilson Campelo de Carvalho, honored her in an Instagram reel with photos and a heartfelt message.
—Vivian Kwarm, New York Daily News, 26 Feb. 2026
Josef Adalian, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
The new single is a smart step forward for Bashment Sound, even as fans are still reeling from their Grammy snub.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reel
Noun
The club brought it to fruition and packaged it with one reel honoring each season, seven images per year.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 26 Feb. 2026
One of her family members, Enilson Campelo de Carvalho, honored her in an Instagram reel with photos and a heartfelt message.
—Vivian Kwarm, New York Daily News, 26 Feb. 2026
Verb
And even if Ellison surprises people and actually keeps CNN siloed off from Weiss’s project at CBS, the amount of debt his new company will carry very likely means CNN, already reeling from cuts under current WB Discovery boss David Zaslav’s rule, will see its budget and ambitions shrink.
—Josef Adalian, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
The new single is a smart step forward for Bashment Sound, even as fans are still reeling from their Grammy snub.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reel
Noun
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The Everlane Double-Knit Half-Zip Pullover will undoubtedly serve as a cornerstone of your spring outfit rotation.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
4 Mar. 2026
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But with him and left-hander Blake Snell sidelined, that opens some spots in the starting rotation — which presents an opportunity for the likes of Emmet Sheehan, who has yet to appear in a Cactus League game, and River Ryan, who looked sharp in two scoreless innings of work Tuesday.—
Jack Vita,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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My anxious imagination just spins constantly into possible futures.—
Stuart Miller,
Oc Register,
28 Feb. 2026
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The Chook on South Pearl Street looks discreet from the outside — a flat, black entry — though its interior is warm and open-air, and the rotisserie that spins in the back of the room makes the place smell heavenly.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Heat continues to stagger the minutes of its two top scoring guards.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
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The result is a heavy blow to Starmer, whose leadership has staggered through a series of crises and suffered a near-death experience earlier this month.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Use a slim roll cart between your washer and dryer for your cleaning supplies.—
Caron Golden,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Feb. 2026
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So what makes a cinnamon roll worth such devotion?—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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At the cottage, Shane and Ilya confess their love for one another, swim in the lake and watch the Lake Muskoka sunsets.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Feb. 2026
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Radiodonts were among the largest and most fearsome animals swimming in Cambrian seas.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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His younger brother and lifelong filmmaking partner, Craig Renaud, recovered Brent’s body and decided to make a film that weaves together decades of the brothers’ reporting from global conflict zones, including Iraq, Haiti, Somalia, and Central America.—
Addie Morfoot,
Variety,
28 Feb. 2026
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Advertisement Gates’ roughly chronological account weaves together major moments in each group’s history, from the Spanish Inquisition and American slavery to World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, and beyond.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Engineers also conducted tuft testing on wheel fairings and panel gaps to validate real-world airflow against computer simulations, refining aerodynamic efficiency and vehicle fit.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Mar. 2026
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Using the Subaru Telescope located at the summit of the extinct volcano Maunkea in Hawai'i, astronomers have captured a stunning image of a spiral galaxy that resembles a spinning cosmic wheel.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The two sides have been lurching toward this end for a while now.—
Josh Kendall,
New York Times,
24 Feb. 2026
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But Wembanyama is on the short list of MVP favorites as the league lurches toward the playoffs, a list that includes former NBA champions Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of OKC, Denver’s Nikola Jokic along with Detroit’s Cade Cunningham and Los Angeles’ Luka Doncic.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reel. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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