as in to curl
to follow a circular or spiral course
a narrow road spiraling up the mountain to the summit
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in winding
turning around an axis like the thread of a screw
a spiral staircase takes visitors up into the Statue of Liberty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spiral
Mahsa Saeidi, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
What began as a power struggle between the army and the powerful paramilitary force — former allies in a coup that removed a civilian government — has spiraled into a devastating war.
—Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 15 Apr. 2026
Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026
The bowl itself looks like a flower petal, and features detailed, spiral etching in the center.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Apr. 2026
Danny Klein, SPIN, 13 Apr. 2026
This spiral toward promotional campaigns and away from a true practice setting did away with the spring game of yore.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spiral
Verb
Unpaid tolls can spiral into crushing debt — but that's just one of many issues drivers face.
—Mahsa Saeidi, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
What began as a power struggle between the army and the powerful paramilitary force — former allies in a coup that removed a civilian government — has spiraled into a devastating war.
—Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The new season follows a young couple whose lives spiral after witnessing a fight between their boss and his wife.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026
The bowl itself looks like a flower petal, and features detailed, spiral etching in the center.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
That imagery in general is like the classic hypnosis spiral.
—Danny Klein, SPIN, 13 Apr. 2026
This spiral toward promotional campaigns and away from a true practice setting did away with the spring game of yore.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spiral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiral
Verb
-
This curling action is often the precursor to a broader trend change, signaling that the sellers are losing their grip.—
Nishant Pant,
CNBC,
14 Apr. 2026
-
There, where the fire was, a body is curled with the grandfather stones.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Chapin said Tokyo’s narrow and winding streets, often crowded with right-handed cars driving on the left side of the road, will present a fresh test for its AI technology, but that Nuro’s systems are designed to adapt and respond in real time.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Hosch, 67, went for a hike on part of the Appalachian Trail, a winding path that extends almost 2,200 miles through 14 states.—
Elissa Jorgensen,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The 6-inch gel memory foam provides a soft, plush feel and conforms to your body’s natural curves, reducing pressure points on the shoulders and hips.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
-
This funky interpretation on a standard lounge chair leans into elegant resin wicker curves inspired by palm-leaf baskets.—
Blake Bakkila,
Architectural Digest,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But when classes resumed this week for the first time since the Iran war began, coiled barbed wire blocked the Palestinian siblings’ path to the village center.—
Sam Metz,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
-
As a performer, Tetzloff uses a natural physicality, at times leaning back from the piano as if to take a good look at his hands on the keys, and at other times coiling forward in rapt concentration.—
Sheila Regan,
Twin Cities,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The show gets very complicated on its way to a circular semi-conclusion; there is a lot going on, with Linda’s mayoral ambitions and various relationship issues.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Additionally, while there are many circular features at more equatorial latitudes, the north pole itself exhibits a six-sided hexagonal feature, separating the browns from the blues of the pole.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Its eponymous flowers are deep red-orange and the foliage is composed of whorls of needle-like, silvery-blue leaves.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
7 June 2025
-
In 2024, the Ig Nobel Prize in anatomy went to an international team of scientists for their discovery that scalp hair whorls are more likely to spiral in a counter-clockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere compared with the Northern Hemisphere.—
Scott Lafee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 June 2025
Verb
-
Just steps away, a lengthy bar reveals a garden theme with winding green vines and pastel colors splashed on wallpaper.—
Travel + Leisure Editors,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Apr. 2026
-
That case has wound on for years, leaving each of the victims to constantly relive their worst moments, constantly fear that all of their courage would come to nothing.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The two twisted helical stair stringers that support the treads are the structural beams that support the stairs and anyone going up and down them.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
3 Jan. 2026
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The team designed a soft, airless wheel that features elastic steel strips in a woven, crossed-helical pattern.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spiral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiral. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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