Thesaurus results for SWIRL

swirl 1 of 2

verb

ˈswər(-ə)l

Definition of swirl

as in to stir

to cause (as a liquid) to move about in a circle especially repeatedly kept swirling her lemonade until the ice had melted and it was completely watered down

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in to turn

to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis swirled her skirts as she danced the tango

Synonyms & Similar Words

swirl

2 of 2

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 swirl

Verb

Speculation has swirled in recent weeks over whether Saudi Arabia would go forward with the event, given high-profile attacks on the Riyadh airport. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026 So, get ready for mountain vistas and exhausting cycling days to take your breath away and questions about your life choices to swirl around in your head! — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2026

Noun

This was the moment when the swirl of a movie started forming around me. — Kim Jackson, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026 Landfall is not necessarily where the strongest winds are, and the wider swirl of a storm can spread destruction across large areas. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for swirl

Recent Examples of Synonyms for swirl

Verb

Uncover and stir, making sure nothing is stuck to bottom of pot.

— Trinity Mouzon Wofford, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Oct. 2026
In Namibia’s remote, soul-stirring wilderness—one of the least inhabited places on earth—French hotelier Arnaud Zannier has created a new breed of hotel.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of stir

Verb

David Standridge’s philosophy is all about harvesting what’s plentiful and turning it into something delicious.

— Victoria Malloy, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
Future success will require Space42 to turn its technological capabilities, capital commitments and international partnerships into commercially viable services that can compete across markets at scale and at a sustainable cost.

— Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of turn

Noun

Noel personally drove him to the train station, gave him a fresh sausage roll, and sent him on his way.

— Brian Moylan, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
Studies and audits of state voter rolls have repeatedly found that voting by noncitizens is rare and hasn’t swayed any elections.

— Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of roll

Verb

For about five days, the murres rotate between the drying pens — which blow warm air on the birds — and 80-degree pools of water inside the clinic.

— Stephanie Zappelli, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Glenn rotates pass rushers, and nine different Jets have a sack, as New York is tied for fifth with 17 sacks as a team.

— David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of rotate

Noun

There was a change to the Heat’s bench rotation, with forward Nikola Jovic dropped out of the mix.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2026
Nakase tightened her rotation to seven players, bringing Kayla Thornton and Cecilia Zandalasini providing a spark off the bench.

— Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of rotation

Verb

Once the researchers accounted for this requirement, the window for a split narrowed considerably, potentially remaining open only for black holes spinning close to their maximum possible rate.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
Christopher Bell, who entered just five points behind Larson, crashed after spinning while entering the pits under green for his first pit stop on Lap 56.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of spin

Noun

And the storm may have particularly gotten a boost from a large, deep warm-water eddy in the Gulf of Mexico, hurricane specialist Michael Lowry wrote on Substack.

— Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2026
In Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, smaller eddies and vortices near the perimeter feed the giant maelstrom in the center.

— Stephen Ornes, Quanta Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of eddy

Verb

The woman said Dominguez put his arms around her and picked her up to twirl her when no one else was around, the newspaper reported.

— Adam Harrington, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Charli was the smiling face of a platform that amplified those pressures, twerking and twirling like the girl in The Red Shoes who couldn’t stop dancing.

— Nancy Jo Sales, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of twirl

Browse Nearby Words

swiping

swirl

swirled

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Swirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swirl. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of swirl

verb

noun

Example Sentences

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