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
  • Innovative Uranus stirs your 3rd House of Communication, trining transformative Pluto in your 11th House of Friends and Community.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026
  • Atlantic tropics are quiet while Pacific stirs In the Atlantic basin, forecasters are predicting a quiet stretch of weather.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 22 June 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
  • Brunello Cucinelli kept fits classic (straight legs, slight cuffs) and washes light.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 8 July 2026
  • The vacuum and mop combo is a hands-free robot that auto-empties dirt into a 3-liter bag, self-washes the mop rollers, and auto-refills the water chamber for the next cleaning session.
    — Carlos Mejia, PC Magazine, 26 June 2026
Definition of washes
Verb
  • The aircraft, nicknamed Phantom Twist, rotates up to 25 times per second, a rate that outpaces how quickly our visual system can process sharp detail.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 July 2026
  • As the laser passes through the crystal, its polarization rotates.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 16 July 2026
Definition of rotates
Noun
  • Alexis Mac Allister went in hard on Dani Olmo; an uncompromising, flying challenge that left the Spaniard in a heap on the floor (after a few rolls for dramatic effect).
    — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • Other states including New Mexico and West Virginia also recently won dismissals of lawsuits seeking their voter rolls as well, as states push back against federal lawsuits, according to the Associated Press.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026
Definition of rolls
Verb
  • The money can’t be accessed until the child turns 18, and only then for specific purposes, such as going to school, opening a business or buying a home.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026
  • Whereas a proper pull-up requires an overhand grip, swapping to an underhand hold turns the exercise into what less strenuous alternative?
    — Drew Goins, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026
Definition of turns
Noun
  • Indeed, the Vienna rode quite well thanks to its larger wheels, fairly wide tires, and neutral geometry.
    — William Roberson, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Make sure the tires reconnect with the road - During the skid, wait until the tires reconnect with the road and then gently straighten the wheels to regain control.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 July 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 23 Jul. 2026.

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