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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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 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
After seeing his parents vanquished, young Adam is quickly sent by the Sorceress (Morena Baccarin) with his all-powerful sword whirling away to Earth. Pete Hammond, Deadline, 2 June 2026 Admittedly, on its best day, Penn Station feels like a whirling dervish. Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 28 May 2026 Firefighters witnessed a rare ‘ash devil’ while battling the Trinity fire in San Bernardino County — a whirling column of hot ash and embers created when rising heat meets shifting winds. Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026 The video then cuts to two Apache helicopters whirling up. Jack Dunn, Variety, 2 May 2026 Festivities typically include parades, street food, block parties, mariachi competitions, and baile folklórico, or folkloric ballet, with whirling dancers wearing bright, ruffled dresses and their hair tied with shiny ribbons. Todd Feurer, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026 The whirling metal blades dominate the front yard with more frenzy movements than a four-year-old rushing to the bathroom. Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026 They got engaged, and later married during the set, surrounded by the artist and whirling revelers. Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 10 Feb. 2026 Lensky, danced by Wei Wang, steals your heart while whirling through impossible pirouette sequences. Rachel Howard, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirling
Adjective
  • There was nothing giddy about Doctors of Philosophy’s reviews, though.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
  • Tomás drinks from the pool and is struck with an anti-colonialist revelation that sends him into a giddy frenzy.
    Rachel Vorona Cote, Vulture, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • Ready to direct and protect, both from the men and from the swirling chaos that might otherwise harm you.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
  • As investigators renew the hunt for Lynette, speculation is swirling over where Brian may be following the mystery around his wife's disappearance.
    Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • The 40,000-square-foot facility will include a permanent exhibit gallery, rotating exhibit areas, a research library, flexible education rooms and an indoor/outdoor pavilion.
    Staff, USA Today, 8 June 2026
  • The new Fast & Furious coaster will feature 360-degree rotating coaster vehicles designed to look like drifting race cars from the street racing film franchise that has earned $7 billion at the worldwide box office.
    Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • Many people rely on revolving debt, which moves balances from one card to another, with lower rates month to month.
    Ali Besharat, The Conversation, 4 June 2026
  • United spent around £250million on new players in 2025-26, even without Champions League football, leaning heavily into their short-term revolving credit facility (RCF) to meet cashflow needs.
    Mark Critchley, New York Times, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • Arden, who wore a plaid jacket and laceless black sneakers, headed to the flying area.
    Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
  • According to the researchers, bumblebee behavior is not limited to flying around and diving belly deep into pollen.
    Drew Pittock, USA Today, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • The prototype was integrated with low-loss superconducting windings, a novel brushless starting mechanism, and internal cryogenic cooling that functions while spinning.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 June 2026
  • On one side of the ball, the spinning surface moves in the same direction as the airflow, causing an increase in air velocity.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 June 2026
Adjective
  • However, from such dizzy heights, the fall from grace has been dramatic.
    James Pearce, New York Times, 28 May 2026
  • Some adolescents may appear dizzy, disoriented or unusually fatigued.
    Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • In this early 19th-century rebirth of backcountry religion, traveling ministers preached a fiery gospel of grace, stirring large crowds with their open-air sermons.
    Matthew Smith, The Conversation, 8 June 2026
  • Add the pasta and cook according to package directions, stirring occasionally, until al dente.
    Kelly McCarthy, ABC News, 8 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Whirling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirling. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.

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