1
as in rotated
to move in circles around an axis or center
spinning on its axis, the Earth makes one complete rotation every 23 hours 56 minutes 4 seconds
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
3
as in twirled
to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis
spun the child around until he was hopelessly dizzy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spun
The Ram spun back onto the road and toward the Altima as it was being driven west on Route 2, state police said.
—
Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 12 Feb. 2026
On the 5th hole, a 110-yard Par 3, Shipley spun a wedge shot past the pin and watched the ball roll back into the hole, the first ever ace since the league launched last year.
—Mike Darnay, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Gu spun left, spun right, and grabbed her skis, which the judges love.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 9 Feb. 2026
The Sonata spun before striking a concrete median.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
Hosted by Angel City Brewery, the event invites attendees to dress in black and settle in for an evening of dark wave and goth music spun by a live DJ.
—Holly Alvarado, Oc Register, 6 Feb. 2026
Every word of it is permanently spun into my nervous system.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Skorniakov worked with him on axels using a harness and a pole, bracing and lifting as his son spun in the straps.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2026
The facility outside the city of Isfahan was mainly known for producing the uranium gas that is fed into centrifuges to be spun and purified.
—Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 12 Feb. 2026
On the 5th hole, a 110-yard Par 3, Shipley spun a wedge shot past the pin and watched the ball roll back into the hole, the first ever ace since the league launched last year.
—Mike Darnay, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Gu spun left, spun right, and grabbed her skis, which the judges love.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 9 Feb. 2026
The Sonata spun before striking a concrete median.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
Hosted by Angel City Brewery, the event invites attendees to dress in black and settle in for an evening of dark wave and goth music spun by a live DJ.
—Holly Alvarado, Oc Register, 6 Feb. 2026
Every word of it is permanently spun into my nervous system.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Skorniakov worked with him on axels using a harness and a pole, bracing and lifting as his son spun in the straps.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2026
The facility outside the city of Isfahan was mainly known for producing the uranium gas that is fed into centrifuges to be spun and purified.
—Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spun
Verb
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The Illini were without two starters and rotated just six players for all but the 57 seconds that freshman guard Brandon Lee was on the court.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
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Four of the cameras faced the panel, and one rotated to join another fixed on an audience who had been provided NFL jerseys of various teams to wear, but only for the evening.—
Eduardo Tansley,
New York Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Last week, a 13-year-old boy swam for hours to shore to get help for his mother and siblings after the family was swept out to sea.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Owen also swam on the winning 200 medley and 400 free relay teams.—
Todd Holcomb,
AJC.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Sun Ra twirled, his arms and wrists as fluid as a showgirl’s.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
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Hannah Mae Speaker, of Portage, twirled on stage as Glinda from The Wizard of Oz.—
Anna Ortiz,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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City records going back to 2017, released to The Bee, in August show Karl Lysinger’s problems with the city revolved initially around his refusal to buy its water.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
18 Nov. 2025
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Beyond just apartments, the conversation in many races revolved — and diverged — around candidates’ attitudes toward growth in general.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The journey started as a boy in Chicago, where sirens whirled through Rizzs’ neighborhood when the White Sox won the pennant in 1959.—
Tyler Kepner,
New York Times,
27 Jan. 2026
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In a desperate attempt to protect her baby, the victim whirled around, confronted Aherne and grabbed the knife in the stranger’s hand, her infant child falling from the changing table onto the floor during the scuffle, cops said.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Pranks have turned into memes and other visual online jokes that barely involve active communication.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Feb. 2026
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This blend of folklore and physics effectively turned a cultural holiday into a showcase for national industrial prowess.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Within seconds, Perez smacked a cellphone out of the man's hand, swung at his head and tackled him to the ground.—
Sheridan Hendrix,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
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Over the past decade, screening guidelines have swung from recommending routine screening to advising against it to landing somewhere in between, and major organizations still don’t all say it the same way.—
Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Tech companies have denied the allegations made in the lawsuit and say internal documents are being twisted to portray them as villainous when there are other factors, such as childhood trauma, leading to the mental health issues of some of their users.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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Hairstylist Bryce Scarlett pulled it back from her face and twisted it into a low updo with tiny, delicate curling tendrils on either side of the star's face, allowing the gown to shine from the front but adding beautiful detail at the back.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spun.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spun. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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