Thesaurus results for TWIRLING

twirling

verb

present participle of twirl

as in rotating

to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis absentmindedly twirled a lock of her hair around her finger

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in revolving

to move in circles around an axis or center an ice-skater twirling in place

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 twirling Choreographer Lincoln Jones walked among them, hand to chin, thinking, and at times twirling alone as if chasing whispers. — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026 On any other man, this level of villainy could be mustache-twirling and cartoonish. — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 4 June 2026 The mustache-twirling villain flees, both Half-ATs and full-on AT-AT Walkers come into play, and our hero and Grogu finish the job. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 25 May 2026 Stephens never plays a mustache-twirling sadist, instead carrying himself with the unbearable confidence of a man truly convinced that his version of abuse and even murder is civilized. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 May 2026 Emmet Sheehan turned in perhaps his best start of the season Thursday, twirling six innings against the San Francisco Giants. — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 16 May 2026 Wow, Rob-Will (Jai Courtney) is a mustache-twirling villain right from the jump! — William Earl, Variety, 15 May 2026 The flowers of Love-in-a-Mist look like ballerina’s skirts twirling in the breeze. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 12 May 2026 Hands stretched, twirling as if being spun about. — ‘pemi Aguda, Literary Hub, 6 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for twirling

Verb

Flavor choices abound, with a rotating selection of more than 40.

— Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026
On Friday, authorities began implementing rotating 48-hour water shut-offs in parts of the capital San Juan, as well as neighborhoods in the cities of Carolina, Juncos, Gurabo, Trujillo Alto, Canovanas, and Loiza.

— Victoria Arancio, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of rotating

Verb

Starz has obtained commitments to increase its credit facilities by $100 million, comprised of a $67 million increase to its Term Loan A and a $33 million increase to its revolving credit.

— Todd Spangler, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
Borrowers with revolving balances pay annual interest rates of more than 20%, on average, on their debt.

— Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of revolving

Verb

Hubble’s images reveal an intricate web of gas and dust spreading outward from the explosion’s center, where a rapidly spinning neutron star remains.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
In his 12 seasons at Penn State, James Franklin went 4-21 against top-10 opponents and 1-18 against the best in the Big Ten, spinning the Lions and their fans through the same laundry cycle every year.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of spinning

Verb

On bars – her weakest event – Jade Carey fought through a late pirouette to nearly nail her full-twisting double layout dismount.

— Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Like Dante, Nick Tosches was an undaunted character whose tongue-twisting prose was an iconoclastic mash-up of realism and intricate, erudite lyricism.

— A.D. Amorosi, SPIN, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of twisting

Verb

Hopefully all of the drifting is turning the wheels in his brain for ideas for the next great theme park attraction.

— Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 18 Aug. 2026
Researchers developed the flexible material from cotton pulp cellulose, turning an abundant renewable material into an electrically conductive hydrogel.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of turning

Verb

Without an arrest, swirling suspicions were having their own corrosive effects on Incline Village, resident Michelle Pettibone said.

— Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026
This is called a Balmer break, which generally indicates dense, photon-absorbing gas swirling in the atmospheres of ancient stars.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of swirling

Verb

The systems also can spin up whirling columns of flame — usually a fire whirl, which Giannaros describes as a dust devil made of fire and heat instead of dust.

— Thomas Adamson, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
The Argentina fans roused themselves, whirling their shirts above their heads.

— Sam Knight, New Yorker, 20 July 2026

Definition of whirling

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twirled

twirling

twirls

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“Twirling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/twirling. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of twirling

verb

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