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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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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
-
The rotations were sharp, hedges were hard and defensive possessions ended one-and-done.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
-
Along the way, Brown delivered a masterclass in coaching with brilliant tactical adjustments, superb rotations and a masterful use of the team’s depth.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
And fogs are closer to us than clouds.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
-
Over-the-counter pesticides and fogs will not do the job.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Mar. 2026
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
-
Tortorella’s other attempts to jump-start the top line, such as moving Mitch Marner and Mark Stone up beside Eichel at different points, didn’t work either.—
Jesse Granger,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
Plum shot three for 10, tied for her fewest attempts in a game this season.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
The galaxy's heart shines brightly in the image, with gleaming rays of light radiating from its center while gas and dust swirls around.—
Chelsea Gohd,
Space.com,
19 May 2026
-
Longoria’s approach to the wild fervour that continually swirls around the Velodrome was to try to harness it by hiring comparably combustible coaches like Jorge Sampaoli, Igor Tudor, Gennaro Gattuso and De Zerbi.—
Tom Williams,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
With smoke streaming from his mouth and nose, McTominay twirls the delighted older man around.—
Ed Caesar,
New Yorker,
16 June 2026
-
The Manchester City taliswoman then twirls her arm before knee sliding in front of the travelling fans.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
The dinner costs $70, and the menu rotates regularly.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
12 June 2026
-
Well, injuries and poor play turned that eligibility into an essential everyday role, as Clemens rotates between five different positions on the diamond.—
John Laghezza,
New York Times,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
That goes for much here, from the light that scurries away from Benjamín Echazarreta’s muted camera, to the moments of sweetness that punctuate Mariá Portugal’s largely ominous score.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
14 May 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Whirls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirls. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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