1
as in rotations
a rapid turning about on an axis or central point
the whirl of the mechanical ride made him dizzy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in fogs
a state of mental uncertainty
so many changes at once had her all in a whirl
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stirs
a state of noisy, confused activity
lost an earring in the whirl of the party
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in attempts
an effort to do or accomplish something
I'm pretty good at fixing things, so how about if I give it a whirl?
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
2
as in twirls
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
3
as in rotates
to move in circles around an axis or center
the gambler held his breath as the roulette wheel whirled
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4
as in scurries
to proceed or move quickly
cars whirling by on the highway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whirls
Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 6 Mar. 2026
The congregation writhes, sometimes in unison, and whirls and stomps; at one point, a line of folks snake through a doorway and into the foreground, as the camera rotates in the opposite direction.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 Dec. 2025
Water vortices, such as whirlpools, are little water whirls that spin around.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
Yates punched the air, running back and forth across the stage and propelling into leaps and whirls.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 16 Sep. 2025
Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Noun
Green’s guitar whirls nimbly underneath the words, while an effect like a muted choir loops in the background.
—Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 6 Mar. 2026
The congregation writhes, sometimes in unison, and whirls and stomps; at one point, a line of folks snake through a doorway and into the foreground, as the camera rotates in the opposite direction.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 Dec. 2025
Water vortices, such as whirlpools, are little water whirls that spin around.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
Yates punched the air, running back and forth across the stage and propelling into leaps and whirls.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
The heady Moon whirls into your 6th House of Effort, highlighting habits that support productivity.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirls
Noun
-
Jarrett Allen was ineffective because of three first-quarter fouls, which Atkinson said hosed the Cavs’ rhythm and rotations.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
6 May 2026
-
So your rotations aren’t just about contesting 3s.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Over-the-counter pesticides and fogs will not do the job.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Barresi and Cuellar hold each other up with palpable tenderness, each one crafting a long, poignant arc from innocence through the fogs and thorns of experience.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
21 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Refrigerated pie crust helps this pie come together with just a few stirs of the whisk.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
And of course Mike Brown pulled Mitchell Robinson, who missed four straight free throws when the 76ers began intentionally fouling him in the first quarter, only to continue extending the lead despite the Sixers’ attempts at stifling his rotation.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
5 May 2026
-
The Magic scored only 19 second-half points, the fewest for any half in playoff history, and made only one of their 20 fourth-quarter shot attempts.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
To load the product onto the brush, Barnes swirls the tool into the pan twice and taps it twice to prevent fallout.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
12 Dec. 2025
-
The lights are dim and jazzy music swirls the intimate crowd.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Elmer Rodríguez twirls a against his former team while representing Puerto Rico.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Shauna Martel, a teaching assistant at the Osher Map Library twirls a massive globe around and points to Australia.—
Jackie Northam,
NPR,
7 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The waist rotates ±150°, while the head supports ±115° yaw and ±36° pitch.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
1 May 2026
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Other players, such as defender Nolan Miller and backup goalkeeper Javier Otero, could also make the starting eleven as Perelman rotates the roster to keep his squad healthy on a quick turnaround.—
Kyle Foley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The way Radcliffe scurries out of his chair and into the green room to meet Liu illustrates her visceral impact.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Bridgerton fans can spot the Old Royal Naval College mostly throughout season 2, like when a paperboy scurries across the grounds to deliver the latest gossip from Lady Whistledown in the first episode.—
Kayla Keegan,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whirls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirls. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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