1
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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2
as in revolving
to move in circles around an axis or center
an ice-skater twirling in place
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of twirling
The brutal tumble down the ice, those skis with knife-sharp edges twirling as the snow cloud engulfs her.
—
Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2026
The showing marked a sharp contrast from the 2025 Gala, which had featured less advanced versions of the robots twirling handkerchiefs in a wobbly folk dance.
—Dylan Butts,matthew Chin, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
Venus, planet of connection, is twirling into your sociable 11th house, enhancing group ties and reminding your independent heart to welcome supportive networks.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 10 Feb. 2026
Chuky said, twirling a thick finger at Adi’s rifle.
—Jonathan Miles, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
The trailer opens with the ominous tones on Also sprach Zarathustra and an image of a Presley nervously twirling his ring and tapping his foot.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2025
There was the six-member step team, two girls twirling flags and three more spinning rings.
—Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Nov. 2025
The 17-second TikTok shows the stars swaying and twirling together amid a group of dancers at Broken Spoke.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 24 Nov. 2025
At its center is a 30-foot ferris wheel with twirling elements including a sun and moon, and 28 mechanical butterflies with beating wings flitting among colorful flowers.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 14 Nov. 2025
Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2026
The showing marked a sharp contrast from the 2025 Gala, which had featured less advanced versions of the robots twirling handkerchiefs in a wobbly folk dance.
—Dylan Butts,matthew Chin, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
Venus, planet of connection, is twirling into your sociable 11th house, enhancing group ties and reminding your independent heart to welcome supportive networks.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 10 Feb. 2026
Chuky said, twirling a thick finger at Adi’s rifle.
—Jonathan Miles, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
The trailer opens with the ominous tones on Also sprach Zarathustra and an image of a Presley nervously twirling his ring and tapping his foot.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2025
There was the six-member step team, two girls twirling flags and three more spinning rings.
—Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Nov. 2025
The 17-second TikTok shows the stars swaying and twirling together amid a group of dancers at Broken Spoke.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 24 Nov. 2025
At its center is a 30-foot ferris wheel with twirling elements including a sun and moon, and 28 mechanical butterflies with beating wings flitting among colorful flowers.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 14 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for twirling
Verb
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All season long, Lindsay Gottlieb has been content to rely on a rotating group at the five.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
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Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until slightly puffed and cracked, 11–15 minutes.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The revolving facility can be thought of as a bank overdraft that allows United to borrow cash and pay it back as and when necessary.—
Mark Critchley,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2026
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The Arena is Princess’ newest incarnation of the typical cruise ship theater space, where up to 900 passengers can watch the twice-nightly show performed on a revolving stage.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But are the phrases truly Charlotte slang, or is DaBaby spinning a tall tale?—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Feb. 2026
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Another is that many are tinkering with the latest tools, spinning up a website in hours with Claude Code or using its newer cousin Cowork to answer LinkedIn messages.—
Parmy Olson,
Mercury News,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Malinin swept himself up into one—an efficient, twisting spiral just above the surface of the ice.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
21 Feb. 2026
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Start with a thick slice of bread and cut out the center using a biscuit cutter or twisting a cup.—
Nellah Bailey McGough,
Southern Living,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The refinery is very busy these days because of the high price of gold, sliver and other precious metals, which has people turning their metal to cash.—
Roxana Popescu,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
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The dry down is even better than the initial spritz, turning into a warm, sensual, floral bouquet sitting next to a bowl of fresh cut strawberries.—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That video shows water swirling down quiet streets as wind and snow whip in the air.—
Phil Helsel,
NBC news,
23 Feb. 2026
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Photos and videos also show plumes of smoke swirling throughout the city of Puerto Vallarta, a major city in Jalisco.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The swirling, whirling mass approaches like a steam train, picking up thousands of tons of matter on its descent, throwing clouds of snow into the air as its gathers speeds of up to 130 kph (80 mph).—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
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They got engaged, and later married during the set, surrounded by the artist and whirling revelers.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Twirling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/twirling. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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