Synonyms of reels

reels 1 of 2

noun

plural of reel

as in wheels

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

• wheels
• rotations
• spins
• rolls
• twirls
• curves
• revolutions
• curls
• twists
• gyrations
• coils
• pirouettes
• circles
• spirals
• circuits
• whirls
• rounds
• rings
• orbits
• whorls
• circulations
• eddies
• swirls

reels

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of reel

1

as in spins

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• spins
• swims
• whirls
• turns
• swirls

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• collects
• calms
• settles
• steadies

2

as in staggers

to move forward while swaying from side to side

got off the amusement park ride reeling and barely able to stand

Synonyms & Similar Words

• staggers
• lurches
• weaves
• rolls
• shuffles
• stomps
• totters
• stumbles
• waddles
• rocks
• teeters
• careens
• dodders
• sways
• seesaws
• wobbles
• wavers
• barges
• stamps
• flounders
• clumps
• pounds
• blunders
• clomps
• shambles
• scuffs
• lumps
• tramps
• swags
• lumbers
• galumphs
• scuffles
• tromps

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of reels

Noun

The figures represent unduplicated individual viewers who watched a title for at least 30 minutes, and exclude overseas viewership as well as short-form video content such as reels and microdrama. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 July 2026

But what started as a collection of separate individuals is now rising to the level of a viral phenomenon, as privacy-minded Redditors take to the web to celebrate those who are fighting back with an outpouring of ironic memes and hype reels. — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 16 July 2026

On top of that, the reels weigh hundreds of pounds and need to be loaded with a forklift. — Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026

To accommodate the massive film reels and prints, the projection system is also sizable. — Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 July 2026

An era of on-demand highlight reels has taken much of the allure out of sports’ all-star competitions. — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 14 July 2026

The game is now being adopted by Gen Z students who package it like competitive content — rankings, highlight reels, trick videos, mock-serious team accounts. — Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026

Highlight reels are dominated by exceptional athletes doing exceptional things. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026

Their desperate hope, their cruel denial still weigh on this nation’s soul 87 years later, though most Americans only caught glimpses of the doomed passengers through news reels. — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2026

Verb

More than 30 civilians have been killed in American strikes on Iran in recent days, Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said today, as the country reels from yet another night of bombardment. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 15 July 2026

As Venezuela reels from twin quakes that killed more than 2,295 people, acting leader Delcy Rodríguez mounts her first defense of the response. — Regina Garcia Cano, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026

This wrenches the chromosomes apart into two sets and reels them to opposite ends of the cytoplasm sea. — Jake Buehler, Quanta Magazine, 29 June 2026

After Saturday night’s shooting that left two dead, neighbors are voicing their frustrations — and fears — as the community reels from another shooting that has left two more teenagers dead. — Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 28 June 2026

There’s a lot to digest as the hockey world reels from the stunning Dylan Larkin news that came out Thursday, his trade request putting the Detroit Red Wings in an unenviable spot. — Pierre Lebrun, New York Times, 5 June 2026

As America reels from 9/11, something resonates within Franny and an unexpected tenderness begins to bloom. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 13 May 2026

As Hawaii reels from some of the worst flooding to hit the region in decades, one good Samaritan is taking to the waterways to paddle pets left behind to safety. — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026

Chalamet then mimics opera singing before McConaughey reels him back in. — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026