as in spiraling
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1
as in stirring
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
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2
as in rotating
to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis
swirled her skirts as she danced the tango
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of swirling
Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2025
On the third day of their search, as Bruce waded into the water holding a safety line, feeling for the man with his feet, swirling currents swept him away.
—Jamie Thompson, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
If Chicago's offense struggled, the results would feed into swirling concerns over Williams' development in his second season and first with new coach Ben Johnson.
—Mike Sando, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
The prudent way forward ought then to be to read today’s many swirling war stories with greater acuity—or even to learn how to write an altogether different story.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
Walls and floors are white, while flashes of color and texture appear in the form of chubby bouclé sofas and chairs or swirling rugs covered in Burberry’s signature shade of deep blue.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025
Amid the swirling coaching search rumors, Kiffin landed some major contract news with Ole Miss on Saturday.
—Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
That same day, the moon will reach its first-quarter phase in Aquarius, reminding us to remain objective amidst the swirling intensity brought on by the sun’s journey through Scorpio.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
Cook, stirring and swirling constantly, until the garlic is tender and fragrant, about 7 minutes.
—Kate Bradshaw, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Oct. 2025
Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 8 Nov. 2025
With Mendoza’s stock climbing and the Jets still searching for answers at quarterback, speculation is already swirling about what this move could mean.
—Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
Savannah even admitted during Tribal that all the Survivor 50 had been working and swirling in her head.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Nov. 2025
As Americans brace for one of the busiest travel seasons of the year, questions are swirling over how flight cuts expected at dozens of airports across the country could play out in the coming days and weeks.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
As if amid a crystal nebula, the blues take on swirling hues of purple and silver.
—Greyson Ferguson, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
There were questions swirling over whether Nintendo’s Switch 2 would be different enough from its predecessor to entice users.
—Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2025
Characterized by graceful, winding arms that spiral out from a bright central bulge, these systems are rich with both young and old stars, swirling gas and cosmic dust.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Some have likened the controversy surrounding Savin's display of old-time mobsters to the debate swirling around old statues of Confederate generals.
—Tovia Smith, NPR, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Afterwards, Canadian downtempo duo Freak Heat Waves pulled a projector screen down from the ceiling and got to work swirling house, psych-rock, dub, and trip-hop into an entrancing, yet slightly somber zone.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2025
On the third day of their search, as Bruce waded into the water holding a safety line, feeling for the man with his feet, swirling currents swept him away.
—Jamie Thompson, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
If Chicago's offense struggled, the results would feed into swirling concerns over Williams' development in his second season and first with new coach Ben Johnson.
—Mike Sando, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
The prudent way forward ought then to be to read today’s many swirling war stories with greater acuity—or even to learn how to write an altogether different story.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
Walls and floors are white, while flashes of color and texture appear in the form of chubby bouclé sofas and chairs or swirling rugs covered in Burberry’s signature shade of deep blue.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025
Amid the swirling coaching search rumors, Kiffin landed some major contract news with Ole Miss on Saturday.
—Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
That same day, the moon will reach its first-quarter phase in Aquarius, reminding us to remain objective amidst the swirling intensity brought on by the sun’s journey through Scorpio.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
Cook, stirring and swirling constantly, until the garlic is tender and fragrant, about 7 minutes.
—Kate Bradshaw, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
The move enraged both civilians and public officials throughout the country, with questions swirling about Stokes’ qualifications.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 8 Nov. 2025
With Mendoza’s stock climbing and the Jets still searching for answers at quarterback, speculation is already swirling about what this move could mean.
—Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
Savannah even admitted during Tribal that all the Survivor 50 had been working and swirling in her head.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Nov. 2025
As Americans brace for one of the busiest travel seasons of the year, questions are swirling over how flight cuts expected at dozens of airports across the country could play out in the coming days and weeks.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
As if amid a crystal nebula, the blues take on swirling hues of purple and silver.
—Greyson Ferguson, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
There were questions swirling over whether Nintendo’s Switch 2 would be different enough from its predecessor to entice users.
—Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2025
Characterized by graceful, winding arms that spiral out from a bright central bulge, these systems are rich with both young and old stars, swirling gas and cosmic dust.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Some have likened the controversy surrounding Savin's display of old-time mobsters to the debate swirling around old statues of Confederate generals.
—Tovia Smith, NPR, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swirling
Verb
-
Like something stirring within a stone, or the stone itself.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The feature opens as Magda’s son returns from the front to this world without men, with his arrival stirring a growing unease among the group.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
With over 60 flavors and rotating seasonal releases, choosing which of the company's ice cream to bring home can make the freezer aisle at the Piggly Wiggly feel like the final round of a high-pressure, high-stakes game show.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025
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The venue will also hold a regular rotating residency in swing jazz with The Flood, The Sazerac 5, The Micro Brew Swing Band, and Old Sam & The Teardrops.—
Claudia Levens,
jsonline.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Other photos showed just the mom and her daughter twirling together alone.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The towels started twirling again.—
D’Joumbarey Moreau,
Miami Herald,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
On the far right side, a giant elliptical galaxy appears to have a stream that connects it to a group of galaxies that exhibit spiral and disk-like features, with stellar streams abounding in that galaxy group or cluster.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
4 Nov. 2025
-
This track has more spiral turns than any other track previously created by Andretti.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Washing for too long and spinning at the highest final spin rate causes wear and tear on clothes.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
8 Nov. 2025
-
College football’s coaching carousel is spinning faster and faster as the regular season enters its final month, and the breeze coming off it can be felt in Minnesota.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The Land of Spooks is a phantasmagorical blend of twisting gothic spires, impossible land formations, and disconcerting expressionist proportions.—
Kambole Campbell,
IndieWire,
4 Nov. 2025
-
This stabilizing exercise targets the muscles that control your foot twisting outward (peroneal muscles) and the ones that control your foot twisting inward (tibialis posterior).—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Launched in February 2020, the European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter has been following a looping path around the Sun.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Key qualities are the multicolor LED lights and sound machine functions (30 non-looping sounds, by the way).—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Season-defining results turning not on the ever-growing bona fide quality of the players and the performances but on farcical decision-making.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
The guy wants to create a ballroom for his rich friends while turning a blind eye to the fact that babies are going to starve when the SNAP benefits end hours from now.—
Peter Lucas,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Swirling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swirling. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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