as in vortices
water moving rapidly in a circle with a hollow in the center
in The Odyssey, Ulysses is trapped between the six-headed monster Scylla and Charybdis, a deadly whirlpool that threatens to suck in his ship
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 whirlpools
Dedicated locker rooms have state-of-the-art whirlpools and saunas to prepare the body for seasonal treatments.
—
Brandon Presser, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Jan. 2026
Access saunas, steam rooms and whirlpools for full relaxation.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
Expect all of the classic, thoughtful Montage touches—sumptuous linens, attentive service, and an ever-evolving lineup of kid-friendly activities—plus an expansive spa with steam rooms, saunas, cold showers, and whirlpools.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 12 Jan. 2026
In a more complicated setup, gentle currents might merge into whirlpools and eddies.
—Quanta Magazine, 9 Jan. 2026
Water vortices, such as whirlpools, are little water whirls that spin around.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
The Cove has four pools, two whirlpools, two twisty water slides, a family pool, 27 cabanas, a walk-up restaurant, and a swim-up bar.
—Charlie Vargas, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
These turbulent flows, resembling whirlpools, are notoriously complex and have long posed significant challenges for accurate modeling.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2025
Chill Island features pools, whirlpools, and Royal Caribbean’s swim-up bar at sea, Swim & Tonic.
—Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2025
Brandon Presser, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Jan. 2026
Access saunas, steam rooms and whirlpools for full relaxation.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
Expect all of the classic, thoughtful Montage touches—sumptuous linens, attentive service, and an ever-evolving lineup of kid-friendly activities—plus an expansive spa with steam rooms, saunas, cold showers, and whirlpools.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 12 Jan. 2026
In a more complicated setup, gentle currents might merge into whirlpools and eddies.
—Quanta Magazine, 9 Jan. 2026
Water vortices, such as whirlpools, are little water whirls that spin around.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
The Cove has four pools, two whirlpools, two twisty water slides, a family pool, 27 cabanas, a walk-up restaurant, and a swim-up bar.
—Charlie Vargas, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
These turbulent flows, resembling whirlpools, are notoriously complex and have long posed significant challenges for accurate modeling.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2025
Chill Island features pools, whirlpools, and Royal Caribbean’s swim-up bar at sea, Swim & Tonic.
—Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirlpools
vortices
Noun
-
Under this model, utilities like Con Edison are legally required to serve everyone in their service territory, every hour of every day — even during storms, heat waves and polar vortices.—
Rory M. Christian,
New York Daily News,
24 Jan. 2026
-
In simplified terms, polar vortexes are walls of rotating air that essentially trap cold air around the polar regions.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whirlpools.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirlpools. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
