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
Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025
Teammates have seen it in moments when others might slam a club or let a bogey spiral.
—Zach Sweet, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
Jan Goldsmith, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Sep. 2025
See new species A new species of coral, Iridogorgia chewbacca, was discovered near the Mariana Trench and the Hawaiian Islands, characterized by its long, spiraling structures and iridescent appearance.
—Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2025
At an alumni game at Brigham Young University, Young, on the field with much younger men, can’t resist the chance to test his spiral one last time.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiral
Verb
However, the lurid thoughts communicated in Johanne’s prose are enough to send Kristin and Karin into a spiral over how Johanne could possibly have come to felt this way.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025
Teammates have seen it in moments when others might slam a club or let a bogey spiral.
—Zach Sweet, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
While Black was earning a bachelor’s degree in political science at San Diego State, Brian was homeless in Orange County and his life was spiraling.
—Jan Goldsmith, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Sep. 2025
See new species A new species of coral, Iridogorgia chewbacca, was discovered near the Mariana Trench and the Hawaiian Islands, characterized by its long, spiraling structures and iridescent appearance.
—Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
The 12-piece line, featuring colorful plates, cups, candleholders, and a show-stopping spiral vase, reimagines classic Swedish holiday traditions with a fresh, joyful edge.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2025
At an alumni game at Brigham Young University, Young, on the field with much younger men, can’t resist the chance to test his spiral one last time.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiral
Verb
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Ronny curled into the passenger seat and switched the track to a rolling-bass beat from Future.—
Bryan Washington,
New Yorker,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The white beard, the twinkling eyes behind round spectacles, the mustache curled with wax at its ends are all real, all his.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The road is narrow and winding, but the Civic Si’s chassis tuning shines, letting the car dance eagerly between corners.—
Michael Harley,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Water from a winding, jagged valley feeds the swimming spot, which has a 32-foot-wide pebbly beach.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The second reason is that these aura battler designs were very complex and full of curves as well as weird angles.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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Great for side sleepers, this cervical pillow has a shape that is inspired by the natural curve of the neck and spine for optimal support.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Forty-five minutes later, the racetrack appears almost without warning — coiled like a basking viper in the Tuscan countryside.—
Jonathan Hawkins,
CNN Money,
10 Sep. 2025
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The skunk with distemper is stuck in the window well again, chewing incessantly on the garden hose that is coiled up in there.—
Miriam Toews
September 3,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The most prominent features of the Cygnus cargo freighter are its circular, fan-like solar arrays and an aluminum cylinder called the pressurized cargo module that bears some resemblance to a keg of beer.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
15 Sep. 2025
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To clean your stainless steel pan after a night of cooking, simply pour off the excess grease or oil, then clean the pan with warm water and dish soap, using a sponge (our favorite is this Skura style sponge), moving in a continuous circular motion across the cooking surface.—
Emily Johnson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
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
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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
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Additionally, the steep and rugged terrain along the winding road slowed down progress, requiring a careful and methodical approach.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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After forcing the turnover on downs, the Panthers put together a drive that wound the clock down to 19 seconds and gave Haverhill 81 yards to go in that time.—
Jack Murray,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Power is sent through a 6-speed short-throw manual transmission to the front wheels through a helical limited-slip differential.—
Michael Harley,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Bless Volkswagen for keeping the helical gears turning, both literally and figuratively.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spiral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiral. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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