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
Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2025
Running for two seasons, the off-kilter series centered on fictional billionaire Ellis Dragon (Rob), a narcissistic biotech entrepreneur whose mental health spirals after the loss of his wife.
—Andrea Wurzburger, People.com, 22 June 2025
Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 30 June 2025
Research on conflict repair teaches us that even the smallest gestures — acknowledging a mistake, offering a sincere apology, or even using humor — can stop an argument from spiraling.
—Mark Travers, CNBC, 29 June 2025
Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2025
These ears are actually distorted spiral arms that were likely given their shape from a combination of wind pushing on the gas and the rotation of the galaxy itself, according to the researchers.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiral
Verb
Palencia’s ability to lock in after hitting Contreras showed his self-confidence and mental fortitude not to let the game spiral after the heated exchange.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2025
Running for two seasons, the off-kilter series centered on fictional billionaire Ellis Dragon (Rob), a narcissistic biotech entrepreneur whose mental health spirals after the loss of his wife.
—Andrea Wurzburger, People.com, 22 June 2025
Adjective
As much as the world is spiraling with disinformation, chaos, and control tactics, there is also a counter-energy rising — a movement toward slowness, integrity, pleasure, and repair.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 30 June 2025
Research on conflict repair teaches us that even the smallest gestures — acknowledging a mistake, offering a sincere apology, or even using humor — can stop an argument from spiraling.
—Mark Travers, CNBC, 29 June 2025
Noun
Arp 184 earned its spot in the catalog thanks to its single broad, star-speckled spiral arm that appears to stretch toward us.
—Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2025
These ears are actually distorted spiral arms that were likely given their shape from a combination of wind pushing on the gas and the rotation of the galaxy itself, according to the researchers.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiral
Verb
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Jheri curl references abound on TikTok and Reddit, often exchanged by users born upwards of 10, 20, or even 30 years after the hairstyle’s reign.—
Kelli María Korducki,
thehustle.co,
11 July 2025
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The Dyson Airwrap Origin, a more streamlined version of the viral favorite Dyson Complete, uses the same Coanda airflow (without extreme heat) to curl, smooth, and volumize with just a few attachments.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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In addition, the watch has a stop-second function, which halts the balance wheel and seconds hand when the winding crown is pulled out, allowing for precise time adjustments.—
Anthony DeMarco,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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The crash occurred on U.S. Highway 90 about 30 miles outside of New Orleans — on a winding, narrow stretch of the two-lane highway known as the Old Spanish Trail, per The Salina Journal.—
Lynsey Eidell,
People.com,
29 June 2025
Noun
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Where the opportunities lie The front and the belly of the curve remain the most attractive, said Rieder, who is also the portfolio manager of iShares Flexible Income Active ETF (BINC) .—
Michelle Fox,
CNBC,
30 June 2025
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The rigidity or inflexibility of the curve directly influences the complexity of the surgery, with more rigid curves often requiring more extensive osteotomy bone cuts to achieve proper alignment.—
Richard Menger MD MPA,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, Cricket wouldn't stop barking until the owners knew where the snake was hiding, coiled up along the fence.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 June 2025
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Commerce City police helped return a surly rattlesnake to the wild this month after a resident found the venomous reptile coiled in their home’s driveway.—
Max Levy,
Denver Post,
31 May 2025
Adjective
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Glass has also become a big part of the circular economy.—
LEW SICHELMAN,
Miami Herald,
10 July 2025
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Similar to many other automatic litter box models, the circular orb rotates, sifting dirty litter into a waste bag, which on this model is on top of the machine rather than below.—
WIRED,
Wired News,
10 July 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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But in Chile 28 percent of kids had a counterclockwise whorl.—
Bethany Brookshire,
Scientific American,
31 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Five years later, a growing number of companies from Amazon to Ford are winding back the clock on remote work – but not for everyone.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
30 June 2025
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Manhattan’s parade wound its way down Fifth Avenue with more than 700 participating groups greeted by huge crowds.—
Philip Marcelo,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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Researchers also noted helical fiber structures in the cartilage, the twisting patterns of collagen helping prevent cracks from spreading.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
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Along with that, the research team also noted helical fiber structures, also with collagen, which suggests the cartilage is designed to prevent any cracks from spreading, and help to distribute staring and force.—
Discover Magazine,
Discover Magazine,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spiral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiral. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
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