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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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
An early Cyber Monday deal is the perfect excuse to give the Hinoki Body Oil a whirl. Annie Blackman, Allure, 2 Dec. 2024 In sinking beneath the surface turmoil and resting in stillness, one is no longer tossed about by the whirl. Ginny Whitelaw, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
Verb
But the uncomfortably uncertain path of this asteroid — discovered only in late December — offered a timely reminder of how vulnerable humanity remains to hidden perils whirling through space, and how much still needs to be done to protect the planet. Editorial, Boston Herald, 5 Mar. 2025 As these stars and planets whirl around each other, their gravitational interactions perturb the orbits of other smaller objects in Alpha Centauri, ranging from asteroids and comets — planetesimals left over from the formation of our neighboring system — to particles of dust. Robert Lea, Space.com, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for whirl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirl
Noun
  • The Dodgers starting rotation for the past two seasons is a MASH unit.
    Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 15 May 2025
  • And guard Natasha Cloud will be a mainstay in the rotation while replacing the defensive responsibility lost with Laney-Hamilton’s injury.
    Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • This program was designed to provide shorter, clearer letters to reduce taxpayer confusion.
    Cindy McGhee, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
  • However, severe cases of extremely high blood pressure may lead to symptoms resembling anxiety or panic, such as headache, vision changes, vomiting, confusion, shortness of breath, or chest discomfort or pain.
    Angela Ryan Lee, Health, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • Cannes, the famous international film festival in the south of France, is underway – and is causing a stir with its new dress code rules.
    Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 15 May 2025
  • Sounds simple enough, but additive-free tequila has caused a stir in Mexico and elsewhere.
    John Kell, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
Noun
  • The Oilers entered the game with a 23-15 deficit in power-play tries in the playoffs.
    Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 9 May 2025
  • Under the cover of darkness, the Traitors murder the Faithful one by one in a treacherous spree, while the Faithful try to uncover the Traitors and banish them from the game.
    Matt Minton, Variety, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • As the questions surrounding Oasis‘ fast-approaching reunion tour continue to swirl, longtime bassist Andy Bell has confirmed his presence within the lineup.
    Tyler Jenke, Billboard, 15 May 2025
  • Investigators later found that a wrench had jammed the plane’s control gears; rumors swirled that someone had sabotaged Coleman, but no further evidence of foul play ever emerged.
    Victor Luckerson, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • There are plenty of reasons to believe Milwaukee wouldn’t go for such an offer: Butler doesn’t exactly fit a rebuild timeline (and an unhappy Butler has made waves before), and spinning his sizable contract off to another team would likely prove difficult.
    Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 13 May 2025
  • In a video posted by PBR, That Mexican OT spun away from a charging bull on two occasions, just barely escaping its horns.
    Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • Tracks haven’t rotated in and out of the calendar since Hockenheim and the Nurburgring shared hosting duties for the German Grand Prix between 2008 and 2014.
    Dan Cancian, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
  • When baking in a skillet, rotate the pan a quarter turn every 10 minutes.
    Josh Miller, Southern Living, 15 May 2025
Verb
  • Los Blancos sped up talks after their 4-3 defeat to Barcelona on May 11, which effectively ended hopes of retaining their La Liga title this season.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 17 May 2025
  • There are already dozens of newsletters bringing educators up to speed on how to use it to help students learn.
    Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Whirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirl. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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