spire

noun

Definition of spirenext
as in spiral

Related 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 spire Nikolau and Beerkus appeared to chronicle their climb up the Empire State Building on social media Wednesday and posted close-up images of the proposal from the spire and the engagement ring. — Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 1 July 2026 There had no visible safety equipment, and clung to the spire by their fingertips. — Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 1 July 2026 After the pair safely lowered themselves onto a ledge halfway down the spire, the man appeared to get down on one knee to propose to the other individual. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026 One of the most popular districts within the park is The Needles, where a vast collection of tall, pointy spires seem to pierce the sky. — Bailey Berg, Forbes.com, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for spire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spire
  1. spiral
  2. whorl
  3. coil
  4. hank
  5. curl
Noun
  • The residual atmosphere at 22,000 miles is almost non-existent, meaning there is no air drag to force the orbital clutter spiral into the atmosphere and burn up.
    — Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 13 July 2026
  • The Vampire Lestat, the first-ever onscreen rendering of Rice’s beloved second book, premiered this summer, and finds the lovers on the outs once again, sending Lestat into a self-destructive spiral that spans the bulk of the new season.
    — Hannah Giorgis Yohannes, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026
Definition of spiral
Noun
  • Visually, the result was a restlessly fluctuating Technicolor whorl.
    — Max Norman, New Yorker, 25 June 2026
  • Blue, purple, or white whorls of flowers rise above the strappy foliage in summer.
    — Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 5 May 2026
Definition of whorl
Noun
  • Suspension was double wishbones with coil-over dampers and an anti-roll bar up front; twin trailing arms with double wishbones at the rear.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 11 July 2026
  • Regularly clean the filter, drain pan, drain line, and coils to remove any mold or mildew.
    — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 10 July 2026
Definition of coil
Noun
  • Kim lets out a sob and a hank of Natalie’s hair clings to her tears.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
  • There was no one else on the strand, the surf a sickly yellow foam bubbling between the matted black hanks of seaweed heaped on the beach.
    — Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Apr. 2022
Definition of hank
Noun
  • Brittany Mahomes showed off a head full of romantic wavy curls created by Nashville stylist Brooke Barloe, who posted a photo on her Instagram.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2026
  • Steam rises in slow curls from a shaping stand while local kids climb onto high-top chairs and a Coors Light is passed between old friends across the counter.
    — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 July 2026
Definition of curl

Browse Nearby Words

spirals
spire
spired
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spire. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on spire

Nglish: Translation of spire for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about spire

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of yaw

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All