as in coils
to follow a circular or spiral course
a narrow road spiraling up the mountain to the summit
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Recent Examples of spirals
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2025
Ibsen’s play takes place in George and Hedda’s front room over a two-day period, and the only nighttime debauchery happens offstage at one of Judge Brack’s bachelor parties, which spirals out of control when Lovborg gets into a fight at a brothel and loses his manuscript on the walk back to town.
—Rory Doherty, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
Russell, for her part, can match Sewell’s intensity without uttering a word, as in a scene where Kate silently unpins her hair while Hal spirals out over Grace’s VP offer.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 16 Oct. 2025
The thriller centers on Yura Ivalu (Lambe), an ambitious Inuk multimedia artist who spirals out of control when an estranged childhood friend, Sesi Ilupaalik, played by Qaunaq, resurfaces.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2025
Verb
Travel hiccups, tech glitches or a conversation that spirals a lot faster than intended could easily push your buttons.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2025
Ibsen’s play takes place in George and Hedda’s front room over a two-day period, and the only nighttime debauchery happens offstage at one of Judge Brack’s bachelor parties, which spirals out of control when Lovborg gets into a fight at a brothel and loses his manuscript on the walk back to town.
—Rory Doherty, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
Russell, for her part, can match Sewell’s intensity without uttering a word, as in a scene where Kate silently unpins her hair while Hal spirals out over Grace’s VP offer.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 16 Oct. 2025
The thriller centers on Yura Ivalu (Lambe), an ambitious Inuk multimedia artist who spirals out of control when an estranged childhood friend, Sesi Ilupaalik, played by Qaunaq, resurfaces.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spirals
Verb
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Dry all surfaces completely and replace knobs, drip pans, and coils back on the stove.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
14 Nov. 2025
Noun
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It’s attached to a flexible rod that can bend to pass through kinks and curves in dryer hoses.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
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The Cowboy Coaster takes you on a nearly mile-long journey of curves, loops, and sharp turns, reaching nearly 30 miles per hour.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Preliminary work already is underway at Starved Rock State Park in LaSalle County for an $18 million project that will include the first major improvements in three decades to a 13-mile trail system that winds through sandstone canyons and bluffs along the Illinois River.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Jan. 2026
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The region has been battered in recent days by Santa Ana winds, the Southern California phenomenon that can topple trees and power lines.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
30 Dec. 2025
Noun
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But those with coily hair can also snip a few singular curls and separate them with their fingers to get the same laissez-faire, unbothered look.—
Loren Savini,
Allure,
10 Jan. 2026
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And my favorite part is creating the chocolate curls on top.—
Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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To load the product onto the brush, Barnes swirls the tool into the pan twice and taps it twice to prevent fallout.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
12 Dec. 2025
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The lights are dim and jazzy music swirls the intimate crowd.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Behind the Winchesters’ closed doors lies a world of shocking twists that will leave you guessing until the very end.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
6 Jan. 2026
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Then again, few people have careers with as many twists as American figure skater Alysa Liu.—
Sharyn Alfonsi,
CBS News,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spirals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spirals. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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