swirl 1 of 4

1
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

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2
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

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swirling

2 of 4

verb (2)

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

2

swirl

3 of 4

noun

swirling

4 of 4

adjective

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
Customers can bring five pounds of mangoes to Peel's Miami Shores location in exchange for a small Peel bowl swirl of their choice, with up to two toppings and a drizzle, the restaurant posted on its Instagram account. Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 18 July 2025 UltraViolet delights with its creamy purple vanilla ice cream, sweet gooey marshmallow swirls, crunchy chocolate cookies (gluten-free), and rich fudge flakes. Ronny Maye, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
Noun
And below that, there’s the outer core, a liquid-metal ocean whose swirling streams surround the planet with a protective magnetic field. Quanta Magazine, 4 Aug. 2025 Rumors have swirled in Milan about the exact format of the upcoming showcase, but Gucci has been mum about details. Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 31 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for swirl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swirl
Noun
  • Usually the thin, transparent rounds made from rice, water and salt are the foundation for Vietnamese summer rolls — fresh spring rolls filled with shredded vegetables, fresh herbs, noodles and proteins like shrimp and pork and served cold.
    Gretchen McKay, Twin Cities, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Such flavors currently include blueberry lemon and orange sweet rolls.
    Chandler Boese, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • These infield additions not only allowed for better rotation over the final two months of the year, but also allowed another viable option at shortstop if Volpe’s struggles continued.
    Tyler Small, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Flights going west, like Sky Harbor's new transpacific routes, are longer than flights going east because of how the rotation of the Earth influences wind patterns, according to the aviation website Simple Flying.
    Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Highly nonlinear filaments, vortices and eddies start forming patterns and structured networks.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 26 June 2025
  • After divorcing his ex-husband several years ago, the eddies of his relational whirlwinds have slowed, and the currents of his music career have gathered pace.
    Jonathan Horwitz, Oc Register, 20 June 2025
Adjective
  • The pillow top cover is filled with a fine spiral fiber filling, which is held in place with quilted stitching that ensures equal distribution without bunching.
    Maggie Horton, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Spanning 44 miles and reaching nearly 13,000 feet in elevation, the railway has 77 tunnels, 50 bridges, and the world’s longest spiral rail line.
    Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The Duchess of Sussex wore her hair in a low ponytail with face-framing layers then, but switched up her style for the frock's second spin.
    Janine Henni, People.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • The science magazine says that the core’s spin has been slowing, though for unknown reasons, meaning that the rest of the planet must speed up to compensate.
    James Powel, Freep.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Sip velvety Barolo in the rolling hills of Piemonte, twirl strands of handmade pasta in Bologna, and sample creamy artisan gelato on a cobbled piazza in Sicily.
    Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
  • When Huda comes down the stairs, Chris gives Huda a twirl.
    Breanne L. Heldman, People.com, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • In the play, the composer blames the tsar for unleashing the violent revolution and thus causing his own devastating displacement.
    Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025
  • The systems may still be catching up, but the revolution has already begun, quietly, in homes, clinics, and communities.
    Ginger Gentile, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Give the reel handle a slow turn, pause, then another slow turn, so the eel crawls with a natural motion.
    Anthony A. Ciuffa, Outdoor Life, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Gag reel Meet Dolores – Meet the animatronic Aquilops with an extraordinarily lifelike personality.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Swirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swirl. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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