spiral 1 of 3

Definition of spiralnext

spiral

2 of 3

adjective

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

spiral

3 of 3

noun

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 spiral
Verb
Their journeys will spiral in unexpected directions. Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 21 June 2026 Instead of being doomed to spiral into the sun, our planet could survive if the sun loses enough mass during its final stages. Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 20 June 2026
Adjective
The dress was crafted with thick, halter-style straps and three spiral rosette appliqués. Julia Teti, Footwear News, 9 June 2026 Riley said delays caused by the city and neighbor lawsuits have helped spiral costs upwards, because construction costs have climbed in recent years and interest on a pre-development loan has piled up. Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
Noun
But that doesn’t mean that artificially sugared sodas, retail consumption, or social media are depraved, worthless activities akin to the cardinal sin of sloth or the tragic spiral of heroin addiction. Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026 Thomas Little’s life story was once one of triumphant persistence only to be replaced by the too-common tale of a spiral into imprisonment and deadly gun violence. Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for spiral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiral
Verb
  • Michael Olise — France/Bayern Munich (-1) Unfortunate to slip here after technically registering his third assist of the tournament for Mbappe’s screamer, and curling a delightful chip off the Iraq crossbar following some very slick French interplay.
    Liam Twomey, New York Times, 24 June 2026
  • Or curling your wrists while doing biceps curls.
    Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Adjective
  • From $561 per night. Perks: Saltwater pool and spa, king beds in all rooms, piano, fire pit At the top of a long and winding drive awaits Le Petite Retreat.
    Jessica Cherner, Architectural Digest, 5 June 2026
  • Said Rahmani often compared his life story to the plot of Paulo Coelho’s novel The Alchemist, in which a young shepherd sets off on a long and winding journey to find his treasure, only to learn that it was buried near his home all along.
    Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026
Noun
  • The Math Behind Deteriorating Road Conditions Street maintenance follows a cost curve that is rarely appreciated outside public works circles.
    Mark Pittman, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • On curves like the one where the derailment occurred, the railroad uses metal poles instead of wood.
    Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • These coiled, shelled relatives of squid and octopuses were abundant predators, hunting in the same waters as fish, turtles, sharks and extinct marine reptiles called plesiosaurs.
    Torben Rick, The Conversation, 18 June 2026
  • Receiving a ball punched out of Tunisia’s area, the Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder took one touch to knock it into space, before coiling his diminutive frame behind a fierce shot that fizzed and curled into the net.
    Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 15 June 2026
Adjective
  • Seeing this sustainable concept come to life has inspired Cornwell to create his own circular fashion brand, which is set to debut soon.
    Mary Wenthur, Footwear News, 24 June 2026
  • The company has also entered into financing deals with suppliers, including Nvidia and AMD, that have been criticized for being circular in nature.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • Visually, the result was a restlessly fluctuating Technicolor whorl.
    Max Norman, New Yorker, 25 June 2026
  • Despite fluids’ chaotic math, near-identical whorls and gyres tend to emerge at almost every scale.
    Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • From there, the route winds through the Lofoten archipelago, passing towering peaks, white-sand beaches, small fishing villages with colorful houses, and Arctic scenery all the way to the village of Å, at the southernmost tip of Moskenes island.
    Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 23 June 2026
  • Surrounded by gentle hills, sprawling ranch land, and winding country roads, the landscape invites visitors to slow down and savor the scenery.
    Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 23 June 2026
Adjective
  • On a pedestal at the foot of an impressive cantilevered helical staircase stands the ornate Taca de Portugal.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 10 June 2026
  • Rotating the nozzle during printing adds another layer of control by writing helical molecular alignment patterns directly into the structure.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Spiral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiral. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.

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