as in to curl
to follow a circular or spiral course
a narrow road spiraling up the mountain to the summit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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
Michael R. Blood, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2026
Investigations, reviews and outside probes In the midst of the overpayment debate, the unemployment insurance division devolved into a series of investigations, reviews of those investigations and spiraling distrust between staff and superiors, labor department documents obtained by The Post show.
—Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 27 May 2026
Scapes are usually harvested in June when their stems lengthen and begin to twist into coils and spiral shapes.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 May 2026
Lauren Fichten, CBS News, 28 May 2026
The combination of high debt levels and a large gap between r and g can lead to a debt spiral — where rising interest costs boost debt, rising debt boosts interest rates, and rising rates boost interest costs further.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for spiral
Verb
California spiraled toward a primary election Tuesday with its two marquee races defined by uncertainty and a pair of outsider candidates looking to crack open the state’s durable Democratic hierarchy.
—Michael R. Blood, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2026
Investigations, reviews and outside probes In the midst of the overpayment debate, the unemployment insurance division devolved into a series of investigations, reviews of those investigations and spiraling distrust between staff and superiors, labor department documents obtained by The Post show.
—Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
Adjective
Thick, but soft textured needles are deep green and arranged in a spiral pattern along branches.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 27 May 2026
Scapes are usually harvested in June when their stems lengthen and begin to twist into coils and spiral shapes.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 May 2026
Noun
Micky Small says ChatGPT led her into a reality-warping spiral.
—Lauren Fichten, CBS News, 28 May 2026
The combination of high debt levels and a large gap between r and g can lead to a debt spiral — where rising interest costs boost debt, rising debt boosts interest rates, and rising rates boost interest costs further.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for spiral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiral
Verb
-
French defender Benjamin Pavard struck a perfect outside-of-the-foot diagonal half-volley from the edge of the penalty area, and the ball curled past the diving goalkeeper into the far corner of the net.—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
3 June 2026
-
Another indicator of ripeness is the tendril (the curling bit of vine), which will turn dry and brown when the melon is ready to harvest.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
Navigating the loss of a friend can be a long and winding journey.—
Maira Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
End your drive at Mount Lemmon Ski Area, the southernmost ski resort in the U.S. Just northeast of Tucson, Arizona, the two-lane asphalt of the Sky Island Scenic Byway (also known as the Catalina Highway) carves a winding path up into the rugged Santa Catalina Mountains.—
Cu Fleshman,
Travel + Leisure,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
Some smile, and some pensively stare over the curve of the David Geffen Galleries.—
Steven Vargas,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
-
Ananya told Hannah to slow down before the curve.—
Thomas Lake,
AJC.com,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Cottonmouths can be spotted swimming in the water, coiled on the bank, or in vegetation along the shore.—
Jack Armstrong,
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
3 June 2026
-
Visitors are typically brought by elevator to the uppermost exhibition level and then follow a broad, gently descending ramp that coils around a central void.—
Bridget Borgobello
May 30,
New Atlas,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
Their harsh geometric forms are sometimes punctuated by recognizable symbols like crosses and hearts, while others are made entirely of abstract twisting, circular, and diagonal forms.—
Eliza Goodpasture,
ARTnews.com,
3 June 2026
-
According to Allie, viewers continue sending screenshots of their own hilariously circular text exchanges on a daily basis.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Blue, purple, or white whorls of flowers rise above the strappy foliage in summer.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
5 May 2026
-
In most flowers, sepals are a whorl of green, known as a calyx, at the base of the petals, but here sepals, which are pointed, make up the entire inflorescence.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
With sodium-ion production managing the entry-level automotive sector, CATL is reallocating long-term engineering resources to address the physical bottlenecks of lithium-air technology, aiming at heavy-duty transport and the stabilization of solar and wind electrical grids.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
-
Narrow, winding streets and passageways lead up to the centuries-old Eglise Saint-Sauveur for sweeping views of the rugged valley.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
Designed by Scott Wilson Architecture with interiors by Cherie Grisham, the residence opens with a dramatic double-height foyer capped by a 20-foot reflective ceiling and anchored by a sweeping helical staircase.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spiral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiral. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
