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
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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
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Recent Examples of reeling
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025
Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Oct. 2025
The explosion forced a one-mile radius evacuation and left residents reeling from even farther away.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 11 Oct. 2025
Jay Jones’ Campaign Implodes Over Leaked Texts While Porter’s campaign is reeling from damaging optics and workplace allegations, across the country in Virginia, Jay Jones faces a scandal of a different order—one rooted in violent rhetoric that has shocked even longtime political allies.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
At the time, the NWSL was reeling from a widespread abuse scandal that threatened the nine-year-old league’s future.
—Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 10 Oct. 2025
Trump’s new threat sent the equity markets reeling on Friday over fears of a new tariff hike.
—Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2025
On Thursday night, the second part of the three-part reunion, the room was still reeling from the bombshell dropped by Julia Lemigova, who is married to tennis star Martina Navratilova.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
The defeat marked the second straight loss for the seemingly reeling Nittany Lions.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2025
Each episode saw an actor pose as a teenager, uncovering a child predator in an anonymous online setting before reeling them in for an in-person meeting.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
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
Iowa State was upset by a Colorado team that was reeling, and the Cyclones just don’t appear to be the same team without their two star cornerbacks.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Oct. 2025
The explosion forced a one-mile radius evacuation and left residents reeling from even farther away.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 11 Oct. 2025
Jay Jones’ Campaign Implodes Over Leaked Texts While Porter’s campaign is reeling from damaging optics and workplace allegations, across the country in Virginia, Jay Jones faces a scandal of a different order—one rooted in violent rhetoric that has shocked even longtime political allies.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
At the time, the NWSL was reeling from a widespread abuse scandal that threatened the nine-year-old league’s future.
—Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 10 Oct. 2025
Trump’s new threat sent the equity markets reeling on Friday over fears of a new tariff hike.
—Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2025
On Thursday night, the second part of the three-part reunion, the room was still reeling from the bombshell dropped by Julia Lemigova, who is married to tennis star Martina Navratilova.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
The defeat marked the second straight loss for the seemingly reeling Nittany Lions.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2025
Each episode saw an actor pose as a teenager, uncovering a child predator in an anonymous online setting before reeling them in for an in-person meeting.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reeling
Adjective
-
The long drive back to Yolo County late Saturday evening wasn’t such a bore for the UC Davis football coach, his giddy group of Aggies and suddenly weary and sleep-ready sons.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
5 Oct. 2025
-
The Brewers are giddy with the chance to show up the manager who left them for more money and supposedly a better team in Chicago.—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The potential for money-spinning corporate hospitality was also limited.—
Amy Lawrence,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Many women did so, forswearing British wares, spinning flax on town greens, and swapping handwritten patriotic verse while drinking herbal-tea substitutes.—
Jane Kamensky,
The Atlantic,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Then the Dodgers stopped by in October for an NLDS heavyweight title bout — and the Phillies are already staggering through a standing 8-count.—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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The young men in Bruins blue and gold staggering off the field afterwards dazed, confused.—
Mirjam Swanson,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Traditionally, Sean Payton’s teams deploy a revolving personnel carousel that can leave opposing defensive coordinators dizzy.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Ten percent impairs performance and leaves you dizzy and faint.—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The administration’s lurching one way and another with tariffs is another example.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
20 Sep. 2025
-
The title track opens the affair by lurching and creeping forward for ten minutes with odd, off-putting lyrics.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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While critical local and Indigenous knowledge is recognized in the report, it is largely excluded from assessments, both because weaving it with conventional scientific analysis is difficult or because communities may choose to protect certain knowledge.—
Jessica Beaudette,
The Conversation,
11 Oct. 2025
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This invisible, climate-polluting gas can escape into the water through fissures in the sea floor, often revealing itself with a stream of bubbles weaving their way up to the ocean surface.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reeling. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
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