1
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
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
as in spiraling
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of swirl
Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025
Shot against the stunning backdrops of New Zealand, the campaign shows how even the smallest moments of a morning ritual — from the hiss of steam to the first swirl of crema — can embody calm and indulgence.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Radhika Seth, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2025
However, beneath the surface lies a hidden world of swirling currents, where grains sneak sideways or loop in circles instead of following the obvious flow.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2025
Dianna Russini, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
False rumors then started to swirl outside the hospital.
—Cara Anthony, Miami Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
Rudie Obias, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
Rumors of their split began swirling in late June, and speculation grew when Bloom arrived in Venice for Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánches Bezos' wedding without Perry.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swirl
Verb
These are the questions that swirl as we’re introduced to the life of Johanne, a 17 year-old who’s been brought up by her mother, Kristin (Ane Dahl Torp), and grandmother, Karin (Anne Marit Jacobsen), and came of age amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025
Shot against the stunning backdrops of New Zealand, the campaign shows how even the smallest moments of a morning ritual — from the hiss of steam to the first swirl of crema — can embody calm and indulgence.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
Sensitive and gentle, and then pained and rageful, his transformation into a swirling vortex of destruction is captivating to watch and deserves all the plaudits.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2025
However, beneath the surface lies a hidden world of swirling currents, where grains sneak sideways or loop in circles instead of following the obvious flow.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2025
Noun
Rumors swirled afterward that Niners GM John Lynch pushed for Lance while Shanahan wanted Jones.
—Dianna Russini, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
False rumors then started to swirl outside the hospital.
—Cara Anthony, Miami Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
While there are rumors swirling online that Swift might perform, this is not confirmed.
—Rudie Obias, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
Rumors of their split began swirling in late June, and speculation grew when Bloom arrived in Venice for Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánches Bezos' wedding without Perry.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swirl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swirl
Noun
-
Remove the sides of the pan, transfer rolls to a plate and sprinkle with cilantro.—
Bethany Thayer,
Freep.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Replace the top half of the rolls.—
Mary Claire Britton,
Southern Living,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The Dodgers won last year with a rotation that was thoroughly depleted.—
Chad Jennings,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Several injured players are making their returns to the roster, Mookie Betts is looking like his old self again and the starting rotation has been healthy and effective.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
With its welcoming yet offbeat eddies of piano, acoustic guitar, woodwinds, and horns, Heavy Metal was a far cry from Geese’s livewire rock.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
26 Aug. 2025
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Meanwhile, in two of the four cases with moderate bubble size and density, the turbulence in the flow closely followed Kolmogorov’s predictions at small scales for eddies smaller than the size of the bubbles.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Place in springform pan, spiral side up, and repeat until pan is filled.—
Bethany Thayer,
Freep.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Employers look for people who can set priorities and stay on top of deadlines without letting costs spiral out of control.—
Sho Dewan,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The material enhances performance The team elucidated the material’s mechanism through a series of experimental analyses, including solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) spectroscopy, electron spin resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, and theoretical calculations.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Sep. 2025
-
From Gabriela, expect her signature focaccia and other breads and a spin on Tiramisu, an Italian dessert, plus other desserts.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Towel-waving involves an intricate flow of flips, curls, and twirls, each with its own name: helicopter, dirty copter, pizza, super8.—
Leslie Jamison,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
-
Then, Alec spun Hilaria into a twirl, before the pair began to dance in unison while holding hands on a porch.—
Erin Clack,
People.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The former Columbia graduate student was born in Syria but fled during the country’s revolution in 2013.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Sep. 2025
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His father, a former military officer, was imprisoned following the Iranian revolution until his mother was able to negotiate his release with prison guards, according to reporting by the New York Times.—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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McMillan’s highlight reel catch-and-run play helped salvage the third series of the game.—
Mike Kaye,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Sep. 2025
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Post with purpose, scroll with awareness, and never confuse someone else’s highlight reel with your path.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Swirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swirl. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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