reels 1 of 2

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

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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

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2

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 reels
Noun
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 At the laboratory, multiple reels of the film, each in an old metal can, were piled in stacks. Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025 The first half of Saturday's Big Ten Conference matchup between Nebraska and Michigan ended with a Hail Mary pass worthy of highlight reels. Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 21 Sep. 2025 Some updates are posts; others are reels or stories. Yuriy Boyechko, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025 Everything abstract or difficult was carved into quick summaries, punchy headlines, 30-second reels. Big Think, 10 Sep. 2025 A little more than two decades later, roughly two years into his big-league career, Rafaela’s own eye-popping defense has already been a part of countless highlight reels. Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025 Everyone shows their highlight reels on social media. Will Carless, USA Today, 5 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
  • Make sure the tires reconnect with the road - During the skid, wait until the tires reconnect with the road and then gently straighten the wheels to regain control.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Make sure the tires reconnect with the road - During the skid, wait until the tires reconnect with the road and then gently straighten the wheels to regain control.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The vortex is a gigantic, circular area of cold air high up in the atmosphere that typically spins over the North Pole (as its name suggests).
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
  • When Charlotte spins the words 'Some Pig,' [kids reading the book] may not know where that came from.
    DeVonne Goode, Parents, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • The agency staggers payments across the month to manage the large volume of recipients.
    Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • If Schlittler continues to perform at a high level, New York may have one of the best starting rotations remaining in the playoffs.
    Shaun McAvoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Fellow senior Ariana Van Handel also gets some rotations in the middle.
    Tim Meehan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 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
  • 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
  • The store offers single rolls or packs of three.
    Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Beer is the secret ingredient to making rolls from a mix taste homemade.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Old Hickory Lake, part of the Cumberland River, weaves through Hendersonville.
    Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
  • The charcoal drawing Anoma Kole Kole, 2023–24, for instance, skillfully weaves a blueprint of colonial infrastructure with images of the Africans who built transit systems.
    Edna Bonhomme, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Gakpo is deeper, and Wirtz pushes forward as the central member of Liverpool’s forward line, while Ekitike shuffles across as the left of the trio.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Because global air travel shuffles millions of people around the world daily, an outbreak of a very contagious disease anywhere can become a threat everywhere.
    Amy E. Stambach, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Reels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reels. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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