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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
The park features accessible play equipment like whirl spinners that are flush to the ground so wheelchair users can be spun around. — Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026 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
Verb
Within this awkward relic of several other ages, New York’s past gets fetishized, chopped up, and whirled together into digestible entertainment. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Oct. 2026 The combat scenes, frequently pitting Latif’s sharpened steel against more popular American weaponry, are staged with whirling verve, wit and, best of all, balletic coherence. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 Sep. 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
  • Heat rookie Ryan Conwell was the first guard used off the bench on Monday after beginning the season out of the rotation.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026
  • During training, Roseberry would spend the first half of his run talking (and sometimes bickering) with Fins, only to reward himself with a pop-heavy playlist for the second half (Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, and Rosalía were in heavy rotation).
    — Max Berlinger, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of rotation
Noun
  • Adding to the confusion, a young female pilot has since been reported to have perished in the crash.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Mantovani, a Miami Beach resident who immigrated to the United States from Argentina as a child, said confusion about the electoral system and doubts about the impact of a single vote kept him from participating in previous elections.
    — Sabrina Lozano, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of confusion
Noun
  • In the commotion, she was briefly separated from her 85-year-old mother, who lives with her.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • That allowed passengers to hear the commotion and discover what was happening.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of commotion
Noun
  • The Sixers’ only loss (in four tries) is to Detroit, with wins over New York, Cleveland and Milwaukee.
    — Dan Woike, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Flagg had 12 of his points in the fourth, and his block of a 3-point try by Andrew Wiggins with 31 seconds left preserved a two-point Mavs lead.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of try
Verb
  • Though the mood at his event was mostly one of defeat, Hilton stirred the crowd with a promise to help Republicans break the Democratic supermajority in the state Legislature in 2028.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Using a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, stir and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of stir
Verb
  • The reader is spun into this frantic poem without a chance to escape, just like the speaker.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026
  • In preparation, she was confined in progressively smaller spaces, spun in a centrifuge, and trained to eat food in jellied form.
    — Ethan Teekah All, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of spin
Verb
  • The Missouri Tigers running back and reigning Southeastern Conference rushing champ is expected to play at Arkansas on Saturday, rotating in for a few carries, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Thursday.
    — PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Gambhir recommends a rotating sequence of collagen-stimulating lasers, Thermage, Sculptra, PRP, and microneedling.
    — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of rotate
Verb
  • Faster decisions in contested environments The potential military applications extend beyond simply speeding up individual calculations.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The measure speeds permitting approval under the California Environmental Quality Act by placing deadlines on government agencies to issue or deny permits within a year.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 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 5 Nov. 2026.

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