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spire

noun

Definition of spirenext
as in spiral

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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 spire On July 1, Russian daredevils climbed to the tip of the building's spire before getting engaged, and then arrested. — Bryan West, USA Today, 4 July 2026 The two daredevils who scaled the spire of the Empire State Building while the world watched have been grounded by the New York Police Department and are now the targets of a criminal investigation. — Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 3 July 2026 Police personnel respond to a report of two people climbing the spire atop the Empire State Building in New York City, on July 1, 2026. — Chad De Guzman, Time, 2 July 2026 After the pair safely lowered themselves onto a ledge halfway down the spire, the man appeared to get down on one knee to propose to the other individual. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for spire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spire
  1. spiral
  2. whorl
  3. coil
  4. hank
  5. curl
Noun
  • Ascending the museum’s spiral from the ground floor, the unnamed agent’s recollections unfold in forty-two chronological chapters illustrated with photographic, video, and sculptural installations.
    — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The need to service debt and expand revenue with short- and long-term trips became a balancing act that threatened to become a self-perpetuating spiral.
    — Joshua Ceballos, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of spiral
Noun
  • Visually, the result was a restlessly fluctuating Technicolor whorl.
    — Max Norman, New Yorker, 25 June 2026
  • Blue, purple, or white whorls of flowers rise above the strappy foliage in summer.
    — Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 5 May 2026
Definition of whorl
Noun
  • This allows massive electrical currents to flow through small coils without wasting energy as heat.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026
  • During the recent session, Soto taught people how to make coils for teardrop designs along with other simple shapes.
    — Janice Neumann, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of coil
Noun
  • Kim lets out a sob and a hank of Natalie’s hair clings to her tears.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
  • There was no one else on the strand, the surf a sickly yellow foam bubbling between the matted black hanks of seaweed heaped on the beach.
    — Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Apr. 2022
Definition of hank
Noun
  • Long, loose curls cascade down her back, all the way to her hips, creating a dramatic contrast in both length and texture.
    — Marci Robin, Allure, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The curls, which spiraled around her, were arguably louder than the print she was clad in.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of curl

Browse Nearby Words

spirals
spire
spired
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Cite this Entry

“Spire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spire. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on spire

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about spire

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