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
Those who heard the roar of the motors and the whirl of the propellers just after 6 a.m. that day were witnesses to the first flight of, depending on your point of view, either a fanciful and quickly forgotten business venture or one of the world’s most successful marketing gambits. April White, JSTOR Daily, 20 Jan. 2025 An early Cyber Monday deal is the perfect excuse to give the Hinoki Body Oil a whirl. Annie Blackman, Allure, 2 Dec. 2024
Verb
This is the result of a coronal mass ejection (CME) whirling toward Earth that's expected to reach our magnetic field heading into the weekend. Meredith Garofalo, Space.com, 11 Apr. 2025 Perseverance, about the size of a car, captured the whirling twisters in January about a month after completing an arduous trek from the bottom of the crater up to its rim. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for whirl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirl
Noun
  • As these large-cap altcoins appreciate, further capital rotation occurs into mid-cap and smaller-cap altcoins.
    Cloris Chen, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
  • Payne did not play in Game 3 after Delon Wright and Landry Shamet were bumped up a spot in the rotation.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 28 May 2025
Noun
  • Plus, the bars are shaped like an ‘S’ and a ‘C’, so there’s no confusion as to which is which.
    Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 27 May 2025
  • According to him, people who engage in financial education come from a place of need, such as growing a family, facing credit denial, having confusion about financial systems, or starting over after immigration or other major life events.
    True Tamplin, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • Spacey’s visit to Cannes, which Variety understands could even include a red carpet appearance at the Palais, is likely to cause something of a stir.
    Alex Ritman, Variety, 18 May 2025
  • His comments caused such a stir that team owner John Henry flew to meet with Devers in Kansas City, where the team was playing last week.
    Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 17 May 2025
Noun
  • Not even an approximate 40-foot fall and sustained injuries on her third try in 2019 deterred her from forging ahead with her goal — rather, the scary slip was just a stepping stone in her personal journey to achieving her dreams.
    Skyler Caruso, People.com, 23 May 2025
  • Around 2016, after a particularly painful breakup, the Body Work author decided to do something radical: give up on dating and give celibacy a try.
    Shannon Carlin, Time, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • However, most small business owners—even those without wildness swirling around them—eventually hit this wall.
    Renae Gregoire, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
  • Read more: Insider Reveals Lakers Could Move Key Piece in Offseason Trade While the rumors have been swirling, trading Reaves would be a very difficult decision.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
Verb
  • To have this ability to contain secrets but to withhold them and have this facade with Michaela that’s totally different than the relationship with her sister, to keep all those plates spinning, that’s a tall order.
    Lauren Coates, Variety, 24 May 2025
  • The airwaves are full of young stars spinning narratives with a Jarvis-style eye for junk detail, from Chappell to Billie to Olivia.
    Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 23 May 2025
Verb
  • The Chargers rotated heavily at corner in Tuesday’s practice.
    Daniel Popper, New York Times, 28 May 2025
  • The brigade rotates its infantry only on days when fog, rain, snow, or heavy wind limit the enemy’s visibility.
    Nataliya Gumenyuk, The Atlantic, 27 May 2025
Verb
  • Even better news is that advancements are achievable: reducing administrative delays speeds up patient care and removes obstacles.
    Yusuf Qasim, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
  • The backers said limiting the scope of environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act would speed up development.
    Barney Henderson, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Whirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirl. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

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