1
2
as in twirled
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in rotated
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 sped
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
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 whirled
The jaguar growled, whirled and bit off the protruding head of the arrow.
—
Delbert L. Chears, Outdoor Life, 5 Mar. 2026
The journey started as a boy in Chicago, where sirens whirled through Rizzs’ neighborhood when the White Sox won the pennant in 1959.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 27 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
Here it gets whirled with Parmesan and a handful of herbs that take it to the next level.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 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
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
Between events, Diamandis whirled around, making and cementing connections.
—Tad Friend, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
After Smart ran through a checklist and flipped a few switches, the A-Star helicopter's blades whirled to life overhead.
—Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 7 May 2025
Delbert L. Chears, Outdoor Life, 5 Mar. 2026
The journey started as a boy in Chicago, where sirens whirled through Rizzs’ neighborhood when the White Sox won the pennant in 1959.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 27 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
Here it gets whirled with Parmesan and a handful of herbs that take it to the next level.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 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
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
Between events, Diamandis whirled around, making and cementing connections.
—Tad Friend, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
After Smart ran through a checklist and flipped a few switches, the A-Star helicopter's blades whirled to life overhead.
—Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 7 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirled
Verb
-
A number of easy and delicious pairings worked their way into our after-school rotation over the years, from peanut-butter fold-overs to yogurt stirred together with chocolate chips.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The charms, some of which quickly sold out while others are not yet available for purchase, stirred a flurry of excitement online.—
Angela Yang,
NBC news,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Sun Ra twirled, his arms and wrists as fluid as a showgirl’s.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Hannah Mae Speaker, of Portage, twirled on stage as Glinda from The Wizard of Oz.—
Anna Ortiz,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The works will be rotated throughout the galleries, allowing visitors to view them through a different lens.—
Alyson Rodriguez,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Mar. 2026
-
After the snap, the defense rotated into a Tampa 2.—
Ted Nguyen,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
America’s Pioneer 10, the fastest spacecraft ever launched, sped beyond the moon in record time today and streaked on toward the planet Jupiter and an eternal journey through interstellar space.—
Eric Mandel,
AJC.com,
3 Mar. 2026
-
The driver, later identified as Neustadter, was pulled over on northbound Raymond Drive for a traffic offense but sped away when an officer approached the vehicle, the report said.—
Naperville Sun,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Because of the gravitational influence of the Sun, and to a lesser extent Jupiter, on Earth’s daily rotation, Earth’s spin axis precesses, or moves in a circle, like a toy top spun on a table.—
Vahe Peroomian,
The Conversation,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The pundit and podcaster has spun dozens of unfounded conspiracy theories since her rise from communications director at Charlie Kirk’s conservative youth group, Turning Point USA, to become a far-right digital force with a podcast audience of some 6 million.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Speculation had swirled in some circles that if Netflix, which had an agreement last December with the WBD board, hit the rocks in terms of regulation, Paramount could have swooped in down the line and snagged WBD at fire-sale prices.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
9 Mar. 2026
-
In the immediate aftermath, questions swirled around why the group was skiing in such conditions at all.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Malkin turned around and swung his stick at Dahlin, hitting him in the neck and side of the head.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Roman Anthony had a monster of a homer the other night for Team USA in a World Baseball Classic tune-up, and Ceddanne Rafaela swung the bat well, too, though obviously with him consistency will be key.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
City records going back to 2017, released to The Bee, in August show Karl Lysinger’s problems with the city revolved initially around his refusal to buy its water.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
18 Nov. 2025
-
Beyond just apartments, the conversation in many races revolved — and diverged — around candidates’ attitudes toward growth in general.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whirled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirled. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
