Synonyms of whirling

whirling 1 of 2

adjective

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• giddy
• dizzy
• reeling
• woozy
• vertiginous
• weak
• dazed
• swimmy
• faint
• aswoon
• light-headed
• confused
• groggy
• addled
• befuddled

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• steady
• stable
• clearheaded

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• swirling
• stirring
• churning
• washing
• shaking
• agitating
• whipping
• whisking
• reeling
• beating
• paddling
• wheeling

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rotating
• twirling
• spinning
• swinging
• swirling
• turning
• twisting
• revolving
• rolling
• swiveling
• pivoting
• wheeling
• winding
• screwing
• reeling
• cranking
• unscrewing
• circulating
• coiling
• twiddling

3

as in revolving

to move in circles around an axis or center

the gambler held his breath as the roulette wheel whirled

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rotating
• revolving
• spinning
• twirling
• turning
• rolling
• gyrating
• circling
• swirling
• curling
• pirouetting
• pinwheeling
• curving
• wheeling
• twisting
• spiraling
• winding
• coiling
• twining
• ringing
• orbiting
• encircling
• circulating
• pivoting
• rounding
• swiveling

4

as in flying

to proceed or move quickly

cars whirling by on the highway

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flying
• hurrying
• scurrying
• rushing
• speeding
• racing
• traveling
• trotting
• buzzing
• driving
• zipping
• jumping
• chasing
• darting
• running
• blowing
• scooting
• blasting
• dashing
• stepping
• scuttling
• tearing
• hurtling
• ripping
• blazing
• zooming
• hurling
• barreling
• rustling
• bowling
• ramming
• careening
• hustling
• careering
• bolting
• bustling
• shooting
• whisking
• jogging
• pelting
• hastening
• rocketing
• coursing
• humping
• galloping
• breezing
• cracking (on)
• haring
• motoring
• jetting
• belting
• bundling
• flitting
• cannonballing
• nipping
• hying
• beating it
• bombing
• whizzing
• highballing
• scudding
• scampering
• stepping on it
• making tracks
• shaking a leg
• getting a move on
• scuffling
• hotfooting (it)
• accelerating
• stampeding
• streaking
• sprinting
• quickening
• beetling
• overtaking
• outrunning
• stepping out
• outstripping
• outpacing
• catching up
• arrowing
• beelining
• fast-forwarding

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• creeping
• crawling
• poking
• lingering
• dragging
• hanging (around or out)
• poking
• lagging
• shuffling
• dawdling
• strolling
• loitering
• plodding
• ambling
• sauntering
• dallying
• lumbering
• slowing (down or up)
• decelerating
• tarrying
• dillydallying

5

as in spinning

to be in a confused state as if from being twirled around

my mind whirled from all of the excitement

Synonyms & Similar Words

• spinning
• swimming
• turning
• reeling
• swirling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• collecting
• calming
• settling
• steadying

Example Sentences

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 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

Twenty-four hours later, my brain is still whirling over yesterday’s stunning news from Merck and Moderna about the success of their personalized mRNA cancer therapy in a melanoma late-stage clinical trial. — Adam Feuerstein, STAT, 20 Aug. 2026

The systems also can spin up whirling columns of flame — usually a fire whirl, which Giannaros describes as a dust devil made of fire and heat instead of dust. — Thomas Adamson, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026

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