Synonyms of swirling

swirling 1 of 2

adjective

as in spiraling

Related Words

• spiraling
• circling
• spiral
• coiled
• coiling
• looping
• zigzag
• twisting
• indirect
• twisted
• corkscrew
• zigzagging
• winding
• serpentine
• curved
• sinuous
• curving
• tortuous
• roundabout
• bending
• circuitous
• curled
• curling
• wandering
• curvy
• crooked
• jagged
• windy
• devious
• crazy
• rambling
• meandering
• uneven
• irregular

Dissimilar Words

• straight
• direct
• linear
• straightaway

swirling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of swirl

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stirring
• churning
• washing
• whirling
• shaking
• agitating
• whisking
• whipping
• reeling
• beating
• paddling
• wheeling

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rotating
• twirling
• spinning
• twisting
• swinging
• turning
• whirling
• rolling
• revolving
• swiveling
• pivoting
• wheeling
• winding
• screwing
• reeling
• circulating
• cranking
• unscrewing
• coiling
• twiddling

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of swirling

Adjective

Battered cars with numbers sprayed on their sides are whipping around the dirt track of the Lebanon Valley Speedway, loose fenders flopping like overgrown bangs in the swirling dust. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026

Known as Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, or KHI, the swirling patterns could explain enduring solar mysteries, such as why the sun’s corona, or outer atmosphere, is much hotter than its surface. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2026

Eager to escape the swirling rumors before Monday’s MLB trade deadline, the 26-year-old outfielder plugged his phone into its charger and went to the gym. — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026

The bottom is a swirling mosaic, done by Swiss artist Nicolas Party, a Euro-summer take on the iconic aquatic style of David Hockney. — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 4 Aug. 2026

The photograph shows a massive swirling typhoon in the Pacific Ocean. — Brett Tingley, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026

The experimental projections, generated from archival Wagner imagery and historical scenes including late former Chancellor Helmut Kohl and the 9/11 attacks, formed a swirling collage that left many spectators puzzled and restless. — Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026

This high-pile wool option from Nate Berkus leans quite modern, but the swirling frame gives it a historical flair that could suit an eclectic aesthetic. — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 30 July 2026

The resulting, room-sized artwork engulfed visitors in a swirling fantasia featuring bouncing balls, morphing nets and slow-motion action shots of Messi. — Chloe Veltman, NPR, 29 July 2026

Verb

Without an arrest, swirling suspicions were having their own corrosive effects on Incline Village, resident Michelle Pettibone said. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026

This is called a Balmer break, which generally indicates dense, photon-absorbing gas swirling in the atmospheres of ancient stars. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 12 Aug. 2026

Georgia is culturally alive and vibrant—polyphonic singing seen and heard through swirling traditional dances, finally, felt through ancient cobblestones underfoot. — Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Aug. 2026

This summer, there have been mad rumors swirling about that Callum Turner is going to be the next James Bond. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026

The bitcoin price has crashed over the last year, with fears swirling that a further bitcoin price crash could be looming. — Billy Bambrough, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

With the metaphorical jet fumes already swirling on Capitol Hill, some are at least threatening to potentially put their colleagues on the record for or against adjourning until September. — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026

However, there has been debate swirling around who’ll act as Madsen’s backup for his final season with the program, with senior Max Cutforth and incoming freshmen Cash Herrera and Jackson Taylor in the mix. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 4 Aug. 2026

Casting for those roles has not been formally revealed, though rumors are swirling online about the actors’ identities. — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Aug. 2026