whirl 1 of 2

noun

Definition of whirlnext
1
as in rotation
a rapid turning about on an axis or central point the whirl of the mechanical ride made him dizzy

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in confusion
a state of mental uncertainty so many changes at once had her all in a whirl

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity lost an earring in the whirl of the party

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4
as in try
an effort to do or accomplish something I'm pretty good at fixing things, so how about if I give it a whirl?

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whirl

2 of 2

verb

ˈ(h)wər(-ə)l How to pronounce whirl (audio)
1
as in to stir
to cause (as a liquid) to move about in a circle especially repeatedly whirled the chocolate syrup into the milk with a spoon

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2
as in to spin
to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis the figure skater whirled his partner with effortless grace

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3
as in to rotate
to move in circles around an axis or center the gambler held his breath as the roulette wheel whirled

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4
as in to speed
to proceed or move quickly cars whirling by on the highway

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to swim
to be in a confused state as if from being twirled around my mind whirled from all of the excitement

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 whirl
Noun
Macfarlane explained that fire whirls can form when heat generated by a wildfire rises so rapidly that the air begins to spin, similar to how a dust devil or a landspout forms. — Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 27 Aug. 2026 Rey toppled Gable with a tilt-a-whirl and a 10-count punches. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Verb
Melissa Wegman, a Democratic retiree who is also from Bakersfield, said she was shocked when the pump recently whirled to $128 to fill the tank on her SUV. — Mike Catalini, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 The sounds of generators humming and chain saws whirling filled the neighborhood Thursday afternoon. — Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for whirl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirl
  1. rotation
  2. confusion
  3. commotion
  4. try
  5. stir
  6. spin
  7. rotate
  8. speed
Noun
  • Unlike via old-school shopping channels, where brands are in constant rotation and must make their case in a limited amount of time, on TikTok, longer Lives are better.
    — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • With most of the Heat’s rotation regulars held out of Saturday’s 125-124 preseason loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves at Kaseya Center, Jovic stepped into a bigger role and started.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of rotation
Noun
  • The players’ win brought confusion over whether the injunction applied only to eligibility rules or extended to related rules, such as the transfer portal.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Combs’ rep offered a glimpse into the situation and the confusion seemingly surrounding it.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of confusion
Noun
  • Christian and Laura Stone had stopped by to see what was causing the commotion after noticing the emergency light while taking their kids to school.
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Deep Ellum business owner Barry McCary noticed the commotion and started recording video.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of commotion
Noun
  • Although other states have moved forward with attempting to execute inmates a second time, in those cases, the first try had been halted before any drug actually began flowing.
    — Kate Brumback, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The Eagles failed to convert a single third down on 12 tries and have been outscored 31-0 in the second half of their last two games, both losses.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of try
Verb
  • To a small bowl, add the tamarind purée, chiles, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and salt and stir to combine.
    — Emma Specter, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The story centers on two ex-lovers who come back into each other’s lives after spending decades apart, only to find old feelings stirring with messy and mixed results.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of stir
Verb
  • Bubba Wallace exited the Bank of America 400 on Lap 77 after Alex Bowman spun into him near the bank on the Turn 2 corner exit on Sunday in a race eventually won by Chase Briscoe.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The track hoe operator repeatedly spun the machine to the west, dug into a mound of sand, spun 180 degrees and dropped the sand.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of spin
Verb
  • Earlier this year, Jo Malone London transformed Center Stage, the rotating pop-up space on the main floor of Nordstrom’s New York flagship, into an immersive vegetable garden in celebration of its Brit Veggies Collection, for example.
    — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Capitol Corner Bar plans to offer rotating seasonal cocktails, too.
    — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of rotate
Verb
  • Ambrossi can’t sit still, and has left his hotel to speed-walk through the city, speaking rapidly and barely glancing at his phone screen.
    — Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Supporters say Prop 45 will speed up environmental review for essential housing, transportation, water, health, education and other projects, cutting costly delays and passing the savings on to consumers.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of speed

Browse Nearby Words

whir
whirl
whirled
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Cite this Entry

“Whirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirl. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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