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
Nathalie Nietzsche-Knappe, Architectural Digest, 7 Apr. 2026
Sure, the stars move relative to one another, our Sun burns through a little more of its fuel, and the Moon slowly spirals away from the Earth as our rotation rate gradually slows down.
—Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Inside, a central ramp—which spirals upward and outward from one exhibition floor to the next—creates an open interior space, flooded with daylight that pours in through a glass dome.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2026
And that spirals her, and then she gets all caught up.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026
Inspired by true events, The Exiles will tell the story of a desperate Westerner who pursues greener pastures in Asia, instead finding greed, rivalry and ego that ultimately spirals into a shocking murder.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 15 Feb. 2026
That is, at least until life spirals you into the next higher tier of the lesson.
—Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 27 Jan. 2026
Claire Foy plays Helen, who spirals emotionally after the death of her photographer father, Alisdair (Brendan Gleeson).
—Adam Graham, Boston Herald, 24 Jan. 2026
Wright plays the overprotective mother Laura Sanderson in the Amazon Prime series, The Girlfriend, who spirals when her son Daniel (Laurie Davidson) brings home his new mysterious girlfriend Cherry (Olivia Cooke).
—Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
Verb
The tower was designed by the British architecture firm RMJM and features a twisting glass façade that spirals upward into a needle-like spire.
—Nathalie Nietzsche-Knappe, Architectural Digest, 7 Apr. 2026
Sure, the stars move relative to one another, our Sun burns through a little more of its fuel, and the Moon slowly spirals away from the Earth as our rotation rate gradually slows down.
—Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Inside, a central ramp—which spirals upward and outward from one exhibition floor to the next—creates an open interior space, flooded with daylight that pours in through a glass dome.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2026
And that spirals her, and then she gets all caught up.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026
Inspired by true events, The Exiles will tell the story of a desperate Westerner who pursues greener pastures in Asia, instead finding greed, rivalry and ego that ultimately spirals into a shocking murder.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 15 Feb. 2026
That is, at least until life spirals you into the next higher tier of the lesson.
—Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 27 Jan. 2026
Claire Foy plays Helen, who spirals emotionally after the death of her photographer father, Alisdair (Brendan Gleeson).
—Adam Graham, Boston Herald, 24 Jan. 2026
Wright plays the overprotective mother Laura Sanderson in the Amazon Prime series, The Girlfriend, who spirals when her son Daniel (Laurie Davidson) brings home his new mysterious girlfriend Cherry (Olivia Cooke).
—Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spirals
Verb
-
Dry all surfaces completely and replace knobs, drip pans, and coils back on the stove.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
14 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The tourbillon version encases an appealing tension between the 270-piece complication’s visceral architecture and Roth’s flair for aristocratic typefaces and theatrical curves.—
Adam Erace,
Fortune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Estrada points to designs like Piegatto’s Toko Tables, where solid hardwood volumes are stacked in a way that feels almost gravity-defying—rounded edges, subtle curves, and a more sculptural presence that anchors the room without feeling heavy.—
Angelika Pokovba,
Martha Stewart,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Many travelers opt to take a four-wheeler down the Sand Highway, a one-way trail into a canyon on the boundary of the dunes, or on the South Boundary Trail, which winds along the eastern side of the main dune area.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The rooms With curvaceous walls, built in fast-growing Indonesian bamboo, split-level villas with a spiral staircase that winds seashell-like between a ground-floor lounge and upstairs living quarters have the grounding feel of being wrapped in a tropical bamboo forest.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Each cantilever is composed of a stack of several submicrometer layers of material and curls approximately 90 degrees out of the plane at rest.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Astronauts can use it to do weightlifting moves like squats, deadlifts and curls.—
Katia Riddle,
NPR,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
The lights are dim and jazzy music swirls the intimate crowd.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The story of a high school delinquent turned basketball player is wildly addictive, with a rich supporting cast and tons of plot twists.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Festivals have recognized that, while K-pop broke a lot of ground, many other countries have distinct twists on the formula worth exploring.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spirals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spirals. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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