eddy 1 of 2

noun

Definition of eddynext
as in swirl
a circular movement of air or water The boat was caught in a powerful eddy.

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eddy

2 of 2

verb

as in to swirl

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Dissimilar Words

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 eddy
Noun
Curved roof eaves meanwhile prevent eddies — swirling pockets of air — from producing more localized snow drifts. — Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 25 May 2026 Runs and eddies alternate with deep, brimming pools shaded by leafy trees. — Ted Janes, Outdoor Life, 21 May 2026
Verb
Spiders are also keen observers of the forest’s breath, barely perceptible air currents eddying through the trees, and place their webs strategically to intercept these drafts — and the insects that use them to boost their transit through the woods. — Rick Borchelt, Baltimore Sun, 11 Nov. 2024 The crowd eddied, some with batons dancing concentrically around the wheel of fire, others collecting around two young men in white. — Aatish Taseer, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2023 See All Example Sentences for eddy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eddy
  1. swirl
  2. ripple
  3. reel
  4. bubble
  5. spin
  6. purl
  7. spiral
  8. trickle
Noun
  • All of this has led to a swirl of negativity around the Party—even as Democrats are positioned to perform well in the midterms this fall.
    — Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026
  • What is the dress swirl that’ll swirl us into the other ball?
    — Hunter Ingram, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of swirl
Verb
  • This feeling also ripples throughout the community, casting a shadow on fellow classmates, family and loved ones.
    — Narmeen Khan, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • One painting might look like water rippling in a pond, another like the roots of a tree, and another like a lionfish.
    — Alyssa N. Salcedo, jsonline.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of ripple
Noun
  • Interestingly, both rod-and-reel anglers and bow fishermen agreed that the 20-pound mark designates a trophy.
    — Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
  • To catch sharks, some anglers paddle out to deeper waters, drop the bait and then pull in the sharks from reels on the beach.
    — Tom Hanson, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of reel
Verb
  • The generational tension has been bubbling for years, including in the housing market, where high mortgage rates and home prices have locked out many younger families.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the top layer is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
    — Terrence Hayes, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of bubble
Noun
  • Meanwhile, the whirlpools of history spin, and ordinary people, good and bad alike, drown in them.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Today, its angular momentum, or spin, is less than that of the disk.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of spin
Verb
  • The two halves of the hook move independently, enabling the device to knit or purl depending on which part picks up the first loop.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2025
  • There was no ocean, no sea in this part of Україна, only a purling river.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 May 2025
Definition of purl
Noun
  • This chronic consumerism has been linked to a spiral which can lead to a disconnect between spiritual and material success.
    — Mimosa Jones Tunney, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Grand plans to return to the Premier League under Chansiri around a decade ago had come to nothing, and financial mismanagement soon began a spiral that threatened the club’s existence.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of spiral
Verb
  • Ahead of Thursday’s release of the full NBA schedule for the 2026-27 season, more details on the new-look Miami Heat’s schedule for the upcoming season continued to trickle out on Wednesday.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 12 Aug. 2026
  • What are your thoughts on seeing things like the all-women Daisy Chain Fields Festival come to life and how that maybe could trickle down and have an impact?
    — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of trickle

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Cite this Entry

“Eddy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eddy. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on eddy

Nglish: Translation of eddy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about eddy

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