spiral 1 of 3

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
Conversations derail, users lose trust and costs spiral. Alan Nichol, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025 Agency decay manifests across the aspirational, emotional and intellectual realm, directly shaping our behavior, Which perpetuates the spiral that derives us ever deeper into artificial dependency. Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
Adjective
Venezuela is spiraling once more into an inflationary storm as new data warns that price increases could skyrocket to 530% in 2025, fueled by a collapsing currency, oil export disruptions and mounting political and economic isolation. Antonio Maria Delgado july 8, Miami Herald, 8 July 2025 And rather than allowing their season to spiral, the Cubs kept competing. Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 8 July 2025
Noun
On the other side, a bar with a tall, glowing wine display. Up a spiral stone staircase, diners will find an open kitchen and spacious seating area with panoramic views of the city. Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 24 June 2025 The spiral online is a little less scary when stress is channeled into actions, too, Mona Eshaiker, a licensed therapist, previously told USA TODAY. Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for spiral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiral
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Doing tight curves, trying to muscle the craft with your legs and arms, and protecting your tush through big waves with your legs as shock absorbers does take effort.
    Jeremy Korzeniewski, Robb Report, 12 July 2025
  • The intrigue of what might be beyond the curve or around the corner takes the mind away from the size of the space and focuses it on the content of the garden.
    Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • Meanwhile, a Central Texas woman was bitten by a rat snake coiled under her toilet seat in December.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 9 July 2025
  • Her long brown hair is coiled into a bun atop her head, and a thick wall of bangs grazes the edge of her straight eyebrows.
    Julie Kim, The Atlantic, 9 July 2025
Adjective
  • Turning those nutrients into domestic fertilizers not only cuts cost and waste but also reinforces a circular economy that strengthens regional supply chains and reduces reliance on global imports.
    Ryan Begin, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
  • There were 12 to 15 circular nests easily visible within about a 10-by-15-foot area next to the shore, with each one being guarded by a male pumpkinseed swimming in place in the middle of each nest.
    Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 22 July 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • But in Chile 28 percent of kids had a counterclockwise whorl.
    Bethany Brookshire, Scientific American, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • China is bidding record low prices for new BESS, which is the key to making solar PV and wind a dispatchable source of electricity—at the lowest price for new build systems.
    Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • While multiple legal challenges wind their way through the federal judiciary, the Supreme Court ruled on June 27 that a nationwide injunction halting implementation of the Executive Order was inappropriate.
    Time, Time, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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

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Cite this Entry

“Spiral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiral. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

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