whirlybirds

noun

plural of whirlybird
as in helicopters
a vehicle for traveling through the air that obtains its lift from rotors which spin horizontally from the sky a police whirlybird was able to track the fleeing carjacker

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 whirlybirds Of course, there’s more to it than simply getting a nod from over half a dozen nations to order a job lot of whirlybirds. — David Szondy february 24, New Atlas, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirlybirds
  1. helicopters
  2. choppers
Noun
  • After using unconventional tactics, such as water-dropping helicopters, LAFD crews knocked down the fire and returned the property to Lineage for cleanup.
    — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Hundreds of personnel have been deployed to battle the fire, with the German army sending tanks and firefighting helicopters providing air support.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of helicopters
Noun
  • But Skyfall will be more capable than Ingenuity, whose main job was to show that choppers can explore the thin skies of Mars.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The president claimed that a new helipad had to be put in to preserve the White House lawn after the choppers used for Marine One were replaced in 2024 with more powerful aircraft.
    — Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of choppers

Browse Nearby Words

whirlybird
whirlybirds
whirred
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Cite this Entry

“Whirlybirds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirlybirds. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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