swirls 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of swirl
1
as in stirs
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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2
as in twirls
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

swirls

2 of 2

noun

plural of swirl
as in eddies

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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 swirls
Verb
The galaxy's heart shines brightly in the image, with gleaming rays of light radiating from its center while gas and dust swirls around. — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 19 May 2026 Longoria’s approach to the wild fervour that continually swirls around the Velodrome was to try to harness it by hiring comparably combustible coaches like Jorge Sampaoli, Igor Tudor, Gennaro Gattuso and De Zerbi. — Tom Williams, New York Times, 17 May 2026 To load the product onto the brush, Barnes swirls the tool into the pan twice and taps it twice to prevent fallout. — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 12 Dec. 2025 The lights are dim and jazzy music swirls the intimate crowd. — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2025 Energy has had a tremendous five-year run, but investors have been cautious in 2025 as uncertainty swirls around policymakers. — Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
Such a beautiful sculpture, mimicking the swirls found in nature (the cosmos, shells, Fibonacci-following topiary) felt a far cry from the swirl of emotions prompted by my favorite TV shows. — Lara Johnson-Wheeler, Vogue, 3 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swirls
  1. stirs
  2. twirls
  3. eddies
  4. washes
  5. rotates
  6. rolls
  7. turns
  8. wheels
Verb
  • Refusing to do so, Luis stirs a rivalry and potentially endangers his own employment.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 31 July 2026
  • While dealing with an impending counterattack from Oda, Murashige finds that trouble stirs in his own courts as mysterious deaths, from a child prisoner to other officials, end up mysteriously murdered.
    — Zachary Lee, IndieWire, 27 July 2026
Definition of stirs
Verb
  • Inside, Benjamin Davalos twirls his measuring jigger and, with a turn of his wrist, releases a swallow’s worth of straight rye.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 14 July 2026
  • With smoke streaming from his mouth and nose, McTominay twirls the delighted older man around.
    — Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 16 June 2026
Definition of twirls
Noun
  • Tzikas pointed to the San Juan Rapids, Clay Banks and Sailor Bar areas as those with stronger currents and eddies that can throw individuals from their rafts and paddleboards or submerge them before shooting them rapidly downstream.
    — Reeti Malhotra July 10, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
  • Convection involves turbulent eddies of warm air rising from the ground into the atmosphere above, and latent heat involves the absorption or release of energy from a phase change without the temperature changing.
    — Trey Fulbright, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of eddies
Verb
  • Rain often washes those chemicals and fertilizers into nearby rivers and streams.
    — Jayash Paudel, The Conversation, 29 July 2026
  • Once the water is turned back on, the bread dissolves and simply washes through the plumbing system.
    — Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 25 July 2026
Definition of washes
Verb
  • The eclipse path also passes close to Earth’s equator, where the surface rotates faster.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Haribo already rotates limited-edition flavors, so a Sweet Heat bag wouldn’t even be a stretch.
    — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026
Definition of rotates
Noun
  • Its ray illuminated a case of wrapping-paper rolls, a wooden stool, a broken box full of old picture frames.
    — Rachel Yoder, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Since the new tax was created, many New Yorkers claim the city’s property rolls are out of date and properties that were once considered a second home are now their primary residence.
    — Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of rolls
Verb
  • Face filters can be advanced, but images may break if a scammer turns their head or is asked to stand and spin around, Whyte said.
    — Auzinea Bacon, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Garrett, the former seventh overall draft pick who turns 29 on Wednesday and will be under club control for two more seasons after this, suffered a torn UCL midway through the 2024 season.
    — David Brandt, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of turns
Noun
  • That includes carbon-ceramic brakes, standard Magnetic Ride Control suspension, and even optional carbon fiber wheels, all wrapped by the widebody shape that gives the Grand Sport and Grand Sport X a more aggressive look than the base Stingray.
    — Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Automobile horns echoed here and there in the distance, and as the government railway train departed the station under the bridge, a string of small lights heralded the far-off clacking of its wheels.
    — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of wheels

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Cite this Entry

“Swirls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swirls. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of swirls for Spanish Speakers

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