whirling 1 of 2

as in giddy
having a feeling of being whirled about and in danger of falling down still whirling from the amusement park ride, I needed to sit down

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whirling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of whirl
1
as in swirling
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 rotating
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
4
5
as in spinning
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 whirling
Adjective
The magnetar was initially surrounded by a whirling disk of matter, funneling from its inner edge onto the stellar remnant. — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
The Cheesecake Factory notably did not acknowledge the political discourse whirling around it, and did not respond to CNN’s request for comment on the Tuscan mom aesthetic. — Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026 The night before our spaghetti dinner, Caleb sat me down by the cabin’s large, whirling fireplace and talked to me about meatballs for two hours. — Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 Maybe my favorite styling element of all on this car is the whirling radiator fan sitting atop the engine, 917-style. — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 15 Oct. 2026 The whirling magnetic states arise in these non-Heisenberg compounds partly because the local atomic environment creates a strong crystal electric field. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 4 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 The room grows as silent as this whirling slot machine of a city can get. — Jeff Weiss, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026 The sounds of generators humming and chain saws whirling filled the neighborhood Thursday afternoon. — Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026 Too bad then that Sophie is such a softie, secretly inviting the whirling dervish to their two days of rest and relaxation. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirling
Adjective
  • Democrats are giddy over the prospect of snatching Senate seats and gubernatorial races in normally red states.
    — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
  • How better to sum up that generation’s giddy way of spackling together outfits?
    — The Learning Network, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • That said, why are there questions about Charles’ inheritance swirling?
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Questions are swirling about whether their historic spending on AI infrastructure will generate enough revenue.
    — Ari Levy, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Its three rotating carbon masts are as tall as an eight-story palazzo, casting a silhouette that has by now become a fixture in the busy port where dozens of cruise ships dock each week.
    — Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Making an alien signal stand out from pulsars For their model, the researchers turned to pulsars, rapidly rotating, highly magnetized neutron stars that emit regular beams of radiation.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 1 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Valentine and McClain split just before the LP dropped, setting off decades of revolving lineups centered around Iris and stalwart keyboardist Avsec.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Business credit cards Like traditional credit cards, business credit cards can cover everyday expenses and provide a revolving source of financing.
    — Dan Avery, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • In some ways, flying a plane is easier than driving a car, at least as far as automation is concerned.
    — Peter Hall, Scientific American, 3 Nov. 2026
  • So Argo’s first Chiron mission is flying on an undisclosed new commercial rocket, definitely a calculated risk.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 3 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • By spinning up nostalgia for a kind of luxurious rap stardom that barely exists anymore, Baby Osamaa comes up with a sketch of what her own big-budget major label debut would look like.
    — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 4 Nov. 2026
  • With low pressure already spinning away in the Gulf of Alaska, any stable atmosphere that moves east will pull that Gulf of Alaska low south, where it will quickly be saturated with extra moisture from El Niño and form an atmospheric river.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Adjective
  • After receiving the alpha-lipoic acid, Hawrylak felt confused and dizzy.
    — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • To that end, there are questions about whether Mayich and his teammates had access to sufficient water and the degree of attention ASU paid to his initial symptoms, including feeling dizzy.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Add the cardamom and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is completely broken down and the jam has thickened, about 25 minutes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Gradually pour in 3½ cups buttermilk, then melted butter, stirring constantly until combined.
    — Inés Anguiano, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Whirling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirling. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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