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
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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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of reels
Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
These reels are put together by the team’s video department, which is part of the football operations staff and films every angle of every practice.
—Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Players hesitate instead of react, coverage calls get lost in translation and opposing quarterbacks turn broken plays into highlight reels.
—D’joumbarey Moreau, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2025
The wounded in these reels were all men, as if the Taliban had landed in villages with no female inhabitants.
—NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
Harwicz’s books are most generously appreciated as spelunking missions into the cave of the unwell mind, untethered from our op-ed pages or the unspeakable carnage available to us every day on our Instagram reels.
—Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2025
Divided into a quintet of distinct chapters and covering everything from Scorsese’s formative years on the mean streets of downtown Manhattan to prepping his 2023 epic Killers of the Flower Moon, this marathon-length look at a true American master has its share of best-in-show highlight reels.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2025
Honored at the Zurich Summit with this year’s Game Changer Award, Quinn sat down with CAA’s Roeg Sutherland (a former Game Changer honoree) to trace an unlikely path from cataloging reels at Sam Goldwyn to building one of the premium brands in global cinema.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2025
The Premium plan automatically generates daily highlight reels of your content.
—Craig Wilson, PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
Anuradha Gupta, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
As Wells Fargo reels from revelations that its mistake cost hundreds of people their homes, the bank is blaming the problem on faulty computer software.
—Deon Roberts, Charlotte Observer, 18 Sep. 2025
The trial starts at a time when the nation reels from another assassination, the one of conservative activist, Charlie Kirk.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
His comments come as South Korea reels from the raids – one of the largest by US immigration enforcement agencies in recent years, and which threatens to create a rift between two close partners that have long cooperated on military and economic matters.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
As for what a Glee reboot would look like, the mind reels.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
But while storms remain unpredictable, this year may see abnormally dry conditions persist into September, as the state still reels from a series of devastating wildfires last year that led to the death of a Wethersfield firefighter.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 17 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile, desserts such as Hawaiian butter mochi and Indonesian cenil captivate a new generation of pastry chefs with TikToks and reels awash with jiggles, squishes, and bounces.
—Cathy Erway, Saveur, 6 Aug. 2025
Noun
The song started appearing in sports highlight reels, including those for Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball.
—Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
These reels are put together by the team’s video department, which is part of the football operations staff and films every angle of every practice.
—Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Players hesitate instead of react, coverage calls get lost in translation and opposing quarterbacks turn broken plays into highlight reels.
—D’joumbarey Moreau, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2025
The wounded in these reels were all men, as if the Taliban had landed in villages with no female inhabitants.
—NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
Harwicz’s books are most generously appreciated as spelunking missions into the cave of the unwell mind, untethered from our op-ed pages or the unspeakable carnage available to us every day on our Instagram reels.
—Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2025
Divided into a quintet of distinct chapters and covering everything from Scorsese’s formative years on the mean streets of downtown Manhattan to prepping his 2023 epic Killers of the Flower Moon, this marathon-length look at a true American master has its share of best-in-show highlight reels.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2025
Honored at the Zurich Summit with this year’s Game Changer Award, Quinn sat down with CAA’s Roeg Sutherland (a former Game Changer honoree) to trace an unlikely path from cataloging reels at Sam Goldwyn to building one of the premium brands in global cinema.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2025
The Premium plan automatically generates daily highlight reels of your content.
—Craig Wilson, PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
The mythology of entrepreneurship is everywhere, from TED Talks and Instagram reels to investor decks glowing with vision.
—Anuradha Gupta, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
As Wells Fargo reels from revelations that its mistake cost hundreds of people their homes, the bank is blaming the problem on faulty computer software.
—Deon Roberts, Charlotte Observer, 18 Sep. 2025
The trial starts at a time when the nation reels from another assassination, the one of conservative activist, Charlie Kirk.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
His comments come as South Korea reels from the raids – one of the largest by US immigration enforcement agencies in recent years, and which threatens to create a rift between two close partners that have long cooperated on military and economic matters.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
As for what a Glee reboot would look like, the mind reels.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
But while storms remain unpredictable, this year may see abnormally dry conditions persist into September, as the state still reels from a series of devastating wildfires last year that led to the death of a Wethersfield firefighter.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 17 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile, desserts such as Hawaiian butter mochi and Indonesian cenil captivate a new generation of pastry chefs with TikToks and reels awash with jiggles, squishes, and bounces.
—Cathy Erway, Saveur, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reels
Noun
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Exterior upgrades include a more aggressive look with adaptive dampers, 22-inch wheels and black-and-chrome exterior accents, including black roof rails.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Many tiny houses nowadays are actually more like apartments on wheels, with expansive – and expensive – interiors.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Max spins Schadenfreude circles around Christian before towing him back to the boat with another Jet Ski.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Inside the all-glass DJ booth in the center of the room sits a rubber chicken for Steve (Joe Keery) to slap as a sound effect while Robin (Maya Hawke) spins records.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Hothead follows, and, when the lawyer staggers out to take a leak, Hothead shoves a gardening fork through his neck.—
Jo Livingstone,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
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Make the most of the shoulder seasons Almost all schools in England enjoy the long summer break at the same time (unlike in Scotland, which staggers its school vacation time for each region).—
Lottie Gross,
AFAR Media,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
But the film also showed the Lakers not being crisp with their defensive shifts and rotations.—
Khobi Price,
Oc Register,
22 Oct. 2025
-
The starting five will likely be more concept than reality once the winter months hit, and Kerr is performing a juggling act of minutes and rotations, especially in back-to-back sets.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Despite that notable change, watching One Battle After Another is much like the experience of reading Pynchon, who lurches from high comedy to stomach-turning naturalism and punctuates plot-heavy sequences with little grace notes of character portraiture.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
24 Sep. 2025
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That film begins with charismatic bank robber Ryan Gosling in a thrilling motorcycle escape from the cops, and moves through several twists and turns, lurches forward in time, and holds Gosling at its heart as a man doing bad things for good reasons.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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This meaty, cheesy casserole is topped with Hawaiian rolls for a touch of squishy sweetness, too.—
Nellah Bailey McGough,
Southern Living,
19 Oct. 2025
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Why the administration wants access to the voter rolls, which laws say are to be controlled and maintained by each state, is not entirely clear.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The film’s seamless structure weaves together elements of folklore, intimate observation and environmental urgency.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
24 Oct. 2025
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Enjoy tennis, pickleball, and padel courts and perfect your swing on the 18 holes of the Greg Norman–designed El Camaleón Golf Course, which weaves through jungle, canals, and coastline.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Her twirls and spins are more careful, as befits a septuagenarian, and each was cheered enthusiastically by a crowd urging her on.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reels. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
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