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
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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
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Recent Examples of whirl
Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Nov. 2025
Watching the pros skate up and down those 14-foot walls and whirl through midair was an eye-opening experience and interesting to see that even the most gifted skaters can fall.
—Lonnie Burstein Hewitt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Nov. 2025
Literary Hub, 8 Dec. 2025
As a writer-producer on The Shield and then the creator, showrunner, and main writer on Sons of Anarchy, Sutter perfected an ultraviolent blend of sentimentality, nihilism, and masculinity that whirled around his characters like so much cigarette smoke and motorcycle exhaust.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whirl
Noun
In the last month, 1,000 people snagged this spinner from Amazon, and this early Black Friday deal is the perfect time to give it a whirl of your own (pun intended).
—Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Nov. 2025
Watching the pros skate up and down those 14-foot walls and whirl through midair was an eye-opening experience and interesting to see that even the most gifted skaters can fall.
—Lonnie Burstein Hewitt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Nov. 2025
Verb
These men, these whirling arms, are framing what’s to come, feeding the presses, day after day, pounding stories into brains.
—Literary Hub, 8 Dec. 2025
As a writer-producer on The Shield and then the creator, showrunner, and main writer on Sons of Anarchy, Sutter perfected an ultraviolent blend of sentimentality, nihilism, and masculinity that whirled around his characters like so much cigarette smoke and motorcycle exhaust.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whirl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirl
Noun
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Choose from four neutral colors—classic black, chocolate brown, light pink, or a creamy white—to add to your wardrobe rotation.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Jan. 2026
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The Royals are expected to enter the 2026 seasonn with a potential starting rotation of Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Bubic and Cameron.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Multiple helpers can slow response during urgent scams and create confusion when fast decisions matter.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The category confusion continued this year.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The project will receive nearly $70 million in tax-increment financing that created a stir among rival casino properties in Reno and was ultimately approved in a 5-2 vote last May by the city’s redevelopment agency.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
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The hot egg coffee might look a bit murky, but is very sweet and creamy, with a layer of coffee at the bottom that gives a strong hit at the end despite a good stir.—
Arundhati Hazra,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Zach LaVine scored 15 but missed six of his seven 3-point tries as Sacramento went 7 for 27 from long range.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
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The Traitors murder the Faithful one by one each night in secret, while the Faithful try to uncover the Traitors and banish them from the game.—
Brianne Tracy,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Controversy has swirled since Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn and other officials announced before the new year that the city has entered into a three-year contract agreement with Cataldo Ambulance Service, breaking course from Armstrong.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
12 Jan. 2026
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Despite OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Sora services capturing an increasing amount of consumer engagement and concerns swirling around the future of online advertising in a world of AI chatbots and agents, Alphabet has managed to ward off fears that its most innovative days are in the past.—
Jennifer Elias,
CNBC,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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After more than a week of silence on the slopes, the lifts are spinning again at Telluride Ski Resort.—
Spencer Wilson,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
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Far from turning on her, the audience awards her with a head-spinning third applause break in just 50 seconds.—
John Roy,
Vulture,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Aside from these roles, the show uses two casts of 150 people who rotate each week.—
Erika I. Ritchie,
Oc Register,
12 Jan. 2026
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Following Kotb's departure, the fourth hour was retitled Today With Jenna & Friends, and saw Hager joined by a rotating cast of A-listers and colleagues to help her anchor the program.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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His arm was pinned into the back window of a car as a suspect sped away, dragging him across the pavement for about 100 yards, according to court documents.—
Allison Gordon,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
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By speeding up the transit time of your stomach contents, fiber may reduce the amount of time that stomach acid can irritate your esophagus, Dilley added.—
Maggie O'Neill,
Verywell Health,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirl. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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