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
Relevance
2
as in confusion
a state of mental uncertainty
so many changes at once had her all in a whirl
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stir
a state of noisy, confused activity
lost an earring in the whirl of the party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
3
as in to rotate
to move in circles around an axis or center
the gambler held his breath as the roulette wheel whirled
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to speed
to proceed or move quickly
cars whirling by on the highway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of whirl
Tristan Rutherford, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2026
As seen in videos shared to X by Emily Ferguson of the Daily Express, Prince William, 43, and Princess Kate, 44, individually hit the ice to give curling a whirl.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
In a desperate attempt to protect her baby, the victim whirled around, confronted Aherne and grabbed the knife in the stranger’s hand, her infant child falling from the changing table onto the floor during the scuffle, cops said.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for whirl
Noun
Frigatebirds whirl down to snap squid mid-air.
—Tristan Rutherford, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2026
As seen in videos shared to X by Emily Ferguson of the Daily Express, Prince William, 43, and Princess Kate, 44, individually hit the ice to give curling a whirl.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
Verb
The whole novel seems to whirl around that fact.
—Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
In a desperate attempt to protect her baby, the victim whirled around, confronted Aherne and grabbed the knife in the stranger’s hand, her infant child falling from the changing table onto the floor during the scuffle, cops said.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for whirl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirl
Noun
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The 31-year-old right-hander is being given an opportunity to make the starting rotation, one of a group of what is likely five pitchers vying for what is almost certainly one available spot at the start of the season.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
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Buehler earned two All-Star selections and two World Series rings during his 10 years in the Dodgers organization, serving as a mainstay in their rotation whenever healthy and often looking like one of the majors’ top starters.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Adding to the sense of confusion, police said that the twins frequently share clothes and use the same phone numbers and ID documents.—
Chas Newkey-Burden,
TheWeek,
22 Feb. 2026
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Pausing PreCheck risked significant delays and frustration at airports like LAX, where passengers encountered closed lanes, long lines and confusion on Sunday morning.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In 1995, Taschen published his first book, which made a stir with portraits of soft, indirect illumination, emphasizing naturalness.—
Steve Appleford,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
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But the matter caused quite a stir in Georgia, where the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections sued to regain their materials and some Republicans have questioned the search.—
Rebecca Beitsch,
The Hill,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Reneau’s reverse layup with seven seconds left tied it at 83-83 before Donaldson fouled Mallory on a 3-point try.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
22 Feb. 2026
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The hope, people will try new local businesses, and new riders will give MUNI a try as well.—
Andrea Nakano,
CBS News,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Previously, the controversy swirling around Mountbatten-Windsor centered on the accusations of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who alleged that Epstein trafficked her to his powerful friends, including the former prince.—
Nick Duffy,
NBC news,
20 Feb. 2026
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Active supermassive black holes greedily feast on matter from a surrounding swirling cloud called an accretion disk.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The influx of new observers allowed organizers to spin up neighborhood-specific rapid response groups and reduce response times.—
Nick Woltman,
Twin Cities,
22 Feb. 2026
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Atkin rotates uphill, alley oop, in the opposite direction to the natural flow of the pipe, and spins 540 degrees (one and a half rotations) before finishing with a mute grab.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Paiza residents, however, would do well to make full use of the Paiza Sky Residence, where a rotating cast of sumptuous buffets, indulgent high tea,s and free-flowing cocktails await.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
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Only one ambulance crew serves the whole city, and doctors and other health workers rotate in from Russian regions like Perm to work at its hospital, said a 67-year-old former engineer who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.—
Yuras Karmanau,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
While many travelers speed past Lyon on the TGV en route to more bucolic points south, in recent years the friendly, walkable city has come into its own thanks to neighborhoods like Confluence, a starchitect's playground.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
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For bigger scrambles, a wider whisk will speed the process along without sacrificing quality.—
Taylor Tobin,
Southern Living,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirl. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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