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
The Argentina fans roused themselves, whirling their shirts above their heads. Sam Knight, New Yorker, 20 July 2026 For much of the past week, all that Colombia had been able to agree upon was the pre-eminence of Luis Diaz, who remained a whirling dervish throughout the match as his side’s outstanding player. Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 24 June 2026 That’s the question that has been whirling around Hollywood since the news broke that Amazon MGM Studios was dropping the feature just months after Amazon entered into a $50 billion investment with Sam Altman’s OpenAI. Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 23 June 2026 With the Splash Into Summer there, there were several sprinklers whirling around near several parts of the path giving people a chance to cool off. Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirling
Adjective
  • Faria offers that audience compassion while drawing giddy irony from what his most out-of-touch characters still think happens in Hollywood.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 21 July 2026
  • But at the end of this bizarre game in Miami, this silly 6-4 thriller, this giddy attacking exhibition of some of the world’s best players, and some of the world’s worst defending, England were on the winning side.
    Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 19 July 2026
Verb
  • The claim and counterclaim are among serious allegations – including of smear campaigns and embezzlement – aired in multiple court cases now swirling around the production of the Australian musical comedy.
    Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • The assertion was intended to clear up confusion that began swirling over the weekend around a false positive test from the Food and Drug Administration—which Taylor Farms celebrated, sparking confusion.
    Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 21 July 2026
Verb
  • Smith has experimented with several rotating analysts through the years; at least three of them (Keyshawn Johnson, Smith and Shannon Sharpe) were let go.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 July 2026
  • Rather, currency will be extracted that can be used either to upgrade Vault Breaker kits or abilities, or it can be used to purchase rotating store items that can be used in any mode, including the normal extraction modes.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Verb
  • Faithful gather to sing hymns and sip Bloody Marys, and a revolving cast of chaplains, including one who once served at the University of Texas chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, lead services.
    Pam LeBlanc, Southern Living, 20 July 2026
  • Charlotte’s newest revolving sushi bar is poised to open later this week.
    Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 16 July 2026
Verb
  • Breakker connected with a flying cross body over the barricade on Breakker as Cole talked up Evans developing an edge.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • But years later, some of the highest-flying professional clubs have folded due to financial mismanagement, and dozens of soccer officials have been banned or imprisoned, and numerous teams ensnared in an anti-graft campaign.
    Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
Verb
  • Each design was simulated spinning mid-flight and overlaid on 100 real-world backgrounds, then scored by a perceptual model built to mimic human vision, where a lower score meant better camouflage.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 July 2026
  • The film is a journey of nine years, watching that thread keep spinning and visiting ten communities on five continents.
    Josh Fox, IndieWire, 17 July 2026
Adjective
  • If someone becomes dizzy, weak, intensely thirsty, nauseated, confused or unusually tired, move them to a cooler place or go to the hospital.
    Destenie Nock, The Conversation, 22 July 2026
  • Anyone who becomes dizzy or has trouble breathing while wearing a respirator should move to cleaner air and remove the mask.
    Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 17 July 2026
Verb
  • Add the onion and rosemary sprigs and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and beginning to caramelize.
    Laura Mclively, Mercury News, 23 July 2026
  • Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is softened and golden brown, 6–8 minutes.
    Kendra Vaculin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Whirling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirling. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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