whirl 1 of 2

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

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2
3
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

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
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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
Perez battled back with a tilt-a-whirl, but Iyo did a front flip out of the move and landed on her feet to a standing ovation. Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025 Shortly after Hobart’s event began, attendees could hear the whirl of a police helicopter landing in a field across from the orchard. Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2025
Verb
Back on electric guitar, Beck spun a whirling dervish in front of Outwater, spitting in rapid fire fashion later. Jim Ryan, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025 After a Joey Estes fastball came near his head, Robles whirled around and chucked his bat at the pitcher. Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for whirl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirl
Noun
  • The Dodgers won last year with a rotation that was thoroughly depleted.
    Chad Jennings, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Several injured players are making their returns to the roster, Mookie Betts is looking like his old self again and the starting rotation has been healthy and effective.
    Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The 30-hour search for a suspect Across the country, the killing of the prominent political figure and media personality – the latest in a string of political violence incidents – had sowed shock and confusion.
    Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
  • In one notable instance, antipathy toward business has led to confusion and unnecessary tension.
    Kerry Jackson, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • With a swish of a wand and stir of a cauldron, Practical Magic 2 has officially wrapped production, star Nicole Kidman announced today on Instagram.
    Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 13 Sep. 2025
  • The apples do release some juices, so give it a good stir before serving.
    Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • How To Play Wordle Wordle is a daily word puzzle game where your goal is to guess a hidden five-letter word in six tries or fewer.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The Lancers trailed 24-0 at halftime and rallied in the second half before being turned away on a fourth down try at the Basha 14-yard line with 17 seconds left in the game.
    Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The bristles are neither too floppy nor too stiff, neither too long nor too short, and are cut to the perfect rounded shape that’s just right for swirling pigment over the apples or spreading it along your cheekbones—without having to work too hard for a completely natural finish.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
  • These familiar, turbulent morasses of swirling droplets continue to stymie scientists.
    Joseph Howlett, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Delivering an incredible 280 Air Watts of suction through its fifth generation Hyperdymium capable of spinning at 135,000rpm, the flagship model boasts a number of other supporting technologies such as laser dust detection, whole-machine HEPA filtration, and a 70-minute runtime.
    Alex Harrington, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Gaudí’s structure is a head-spinning mixture of morphing geometrical forms, many inspired by nature.
    D. T. Max, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Smarter Buying And Storage Habits The best way to keep spices at their peak is to buy, store, and rotate them wisely.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2025
  • That’s a completely different challenge than rotating two and switching them out each drive and in certain packages.
    Cameron Teague Robinson, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Anduril highlights that the architecture also speeds software updates.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The worst issue is that The Portal, with changes meant to speed up progression, allegedly, launched giving everyone less powerful drops, making the new power climb ridiculous.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Whirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirl. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

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