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

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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
Max Martin, Grande sings of blowing through breakups and make-ups and enduring mounting exhaustion with mass notoriety while the music swirls patiently and frequently angrily underneath. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026 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
  • But after two decades in the rearview, Pluto’s demotion still stirs anger and controversy, and many people regard its change in status as a very bad thing.
    — Mike Brown, Scientific American, 24 Aug. 2026
  • That’s just one example of how Healy has become the straw that stirs the drink for the Huskies.
    — Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 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
  • On the traditional-spa side, a JetPeel facial using Augustinus Bader products essentially pressure-washes my skin with nutrient-rich serums.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Continue reading … CREATOR'S REMORSE — TV legend Oprah washes her hands of any association with Dr Phil or Dr Oz.
    — , FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of washes
Verb
  • Traveling at roughly one mile per second, the LRO orbits from pole to pole every two hours as the moon rotates on its own course about 60 miles below the spacecraft.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The orbiter completes a lunar polar orbit every two hours, as the moon rotates beneath.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of rotates
Noun
  • Active starter better mimics the slow rise leavening action of yeast (in breads and rolls) versus quick acting leaveners like baking soda and powder.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Aug. 2026
  • There are other entrees as well, like sword fish rolls, king prawns and scampi and calves liver.
    — Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of rolls
Verb
  • Ask who owns what, adjust the timeline, and make one practical fix before momentum turns messy.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Conversations about the ethics of true crime storytelling persist in the space, especially with critics who claim that the genre turns pain into product and entertainment.
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of turns
Noun
  • Amsterdam is crowded, and cars, trams, bikers, and pedestrians seem to float by from all directions in silence … lost in the white noise of breezing through this dreamy city on two wheels.
    — Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2026
  • In the library/innovation center, the furniture like whiteboard tables, benches, booths, ottomans and shelves are on wheels, easily moved to change the layout and open up the space for events, assemblies or performances.
    — Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of wheels

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swirling
swirls
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Cite this Entry

“Swirls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swirls. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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