as in giddy
having a feeling of being whirled about and in danger of falling down
the blood donor experienced a reeling sensation after standing up too quickly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in staggering
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
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 reeling
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025
Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
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
For the second time within the past year, the city is reeling from news that one of its leaders has become a defendant in criminal proceedings.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 13 May 2026
Obsession has more than its share of shocking moments, with one sudden, brutally violent attack coming so out of nowhere that you’re left reeling.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 11 May 2026
The raid left Charlotte’s Latino population reeling.
—Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 11 May 2026
The veneration of the catacomb saints during the late 17th and 18th centuries came at a time when vast stretches of Europe, including Bavaria, were still reeling from the Thirty Years’ War.
—ABC News, 8 May 2026
Sources told Woman’s Day that Paul is reeling from his son's arrest.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
Adjective
Even if Lee were sober and thinking straight, her alluring, blows-hot-and-cold Betty Jo would be impossible for a guy like Lee — reckless, reeling, distractible — to resist.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
Before that stabbing, London’s Jewish community was already reeling from several antisemitic attacks targeting synagogues and other communal buildings.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
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
For the second time within the past year, the city is reeling from news that one of its leaders has become a defendant in criminal proceedings.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 13 May 2026
Obsession has more than its share of shocking moments, with one sudden, brutally violent attack coming so out of nowhere that you’re left reeling.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 11 May 2026
The raid left Charlotte’s Latino population reeling.
—Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 11 May 2026
The veneration of the catacomb saints during the late 17th and 18th centuries came at a time when vast stretches of Europe, including Bavaria, were still reeling from the Thirty Years’ War.
—ABC News, 8 May 2026
Sources told Woman’s Day that Paul is reeling from his son's arrest.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reeling
Adjective
-
There was no giddy celebration in Philly.—
Mike Lupica,
Hartford Courant,
11 May 2026
-
But that's a small price to pay for one of the giddiest comedies of the century.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
During a recent experience, the eight mini games ranged from trivia to stacking foam blocks and from Nerf dart shooting to spinning a giant wheel for points.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
-
This setup would let researchers detect minute differences in the isotopes’ energy levels by examining nuances in the magnetic field created by each particle’s spinning nucleus, called the nuclear magnetic moment.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
The works depicted broken figures staggering toward the viewer in ragged uniforms — in distorted sizes, giant hands and small heads.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
The works depicted broken figures staggering toward the viewer in ragged uniforms — in distorted sizes, giant hand and small heads.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Over the years, he’s been cast as a newspaper reporter, a court bailiff, and a dizzy jury member, among other roles.—
Philip Potempa,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
-
By applying lower‑body compression, the garment helps counteract a common condition called orthostatic intolerance that causes astronauts to faint or feel dizzy following an extended mission in microgravity.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
These are some of the heaviest grooves that Seefeel have created in ages, channeling lurching currents through intricate chains of dub delay.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
6 May 2026
-
The ladies haven’t had that problem, lurching out of the gate like the racehorses at Ascot.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
The magnetar was initially surrounded by a whirling disk of matter, funneling from its inner edge onto the stellar remnant.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Customers also appreciated the easy setup, with one person commenting that weaving the leaves throughout the macramé details helped create a fuller, more natural look.—
Kate Donovan,
Southern Living,
13 May 2026
-
Variety spoke with Levy and Bright about the decision behind weaving Dean and Allie into Season 1, the NIL landscape that forced their hand on some of the book’s most popular plot points and what Hunter Davenport’s early arrival signals about where this show is going.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reeling. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
