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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1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of reel
Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
The reels showed his naturally strong leg and big size, at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 15 May 2026
Vanessa Romo, NPR, 14 May 2026
The veteran actor was still reeling from the electric response to her cameo appearance a few weeks earlier during headliner Sabrina Carpenter’s second weekend set at the popular music festival.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for reel
Noun
The brutal slaying has shaken the community as Kayla's family reels from their loss.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
The reels showed his naturally strong leg and big size, at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 15 May 2026
Verb
And others are just simply reeling.
—Vanessa Romo, NPR, 14 May 2026
The veteran actor was still reeling from the electric response to her cameo appearance a few weeks earlier during headliner Sabrina Carpenter’s second weekend set at the popular music festival.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for reel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reel
Noun
-
The affected unit, the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, had been scheduled to deploy to Poland and other eastern flank positions as part of a routine nine-month NATO rotation.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
20 May 2026
-
The Dodgers’ rotation is set for the rest of the series, with right-hander Emmet Sheehan taking the mound Tuesday and Shohei Ohtani set to pitch (and likely hit as well) on Wednesday, the division lead hanging in the balance.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Riley had achieved the effect by using an elaborate pinwheel mechanism that spun mannequin legs at lightning speed.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
The fan that sucks in combustion air and blows out exhaust gases stopped spinning.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Space the shrubs a little further apart, then stagger them so the back row screens your view.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
16 May 2026
-
The Chiefs staggered throughout the campaign and looked like a husk of their usual, dominant selves.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Access to platforms was blocked off with bicycle-rack style barricades and roll-down gates as MTA police officers stood sentry, directing people to alternative transportation.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
16 May 2026
-
The restaurant serves a beloved Mexican take on Japanese sushi, turning the tradition of small raw rolls on its head.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Hire a small boat from the port (Capitan Sinagra is a good bet) to swim, snorkel, and sunbathe, then explore on land by scooter (rentals available from Brezza Marina).—
Nicky Swallow,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2026
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Medet Zheenaliev, 30, spotted four girls swimming in Lake Issyk-Kul in his home country of Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday, and one of them was reportedly pulled under the current.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Rasmus Dahlin scored 32 seconds into the game on a nifty backhand after weaving through Montreal’s zone.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
Sarah George is the pastry chef at The Palmerston—a beloved Edinburgh restaurant—who seamlessly weaves whisky into classic recipes.—
Carinne Geil Botta,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
No pattern enacted on these buttons will safely land a four-hundred-ton jetliner, flaring and bouncing and settling heavily onto its twenty-two wheels while the spoilers on the wings snap up and the jets scream in reverse and the passengers sigh in relief.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
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After decades of mathematicians spinning their wheels, the problem suddenly seemed tractable.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
So between those two things, the balance of gerrymanders has lurched pretty abruptly toward the right.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
Meanwhile, federal policy has lurched in opposite directions.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reel. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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