whirl 1 of 2

1
as in rotation
a rapid turning about on an axis or central point the whirl of the mechanical ride made him dizzy

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2
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4
as in try
an effort to do or accomplish something I'm pretty good at fixing things, so how about if I give it a whirl?

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whirl

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to stir
to cause (as a liquid) to move about in a circle especially repeatedly whirled the chocolate syrup into the milk with a spoon

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2
as in to spin
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

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3
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5
as in to swim
to be in a confused state as if from being twirled around my mind whirled from all of the excitement

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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 whirl
Noun
Feel like giving SimCity 2000 a whirl? Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 17 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
There will be a huge tornado in whirling fabric and a room dedicated to Oz. Laura Bannister, Curbed, 5 Sep. 2025 Waterspouts are whirling columns of air and water mist above bodies of water and can take two forms, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for whirl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirl
Noun
  • Joining a Blue Jays rotation that appeared more built for the regular season slog, Bieber held playoff potential.
    Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • An end-of-the-bench player during his three seasons in Minnesota, Minott should be part of Mazzulla’s core rotation to open his first campaign as a Celtic.
    Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The campaign immediately received backlash and prompted confusion from doctors who dismissed its effectiveness.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Rookie Pat Bryant, split out wide, had his hands outstretched in confusion for six full seconds before the ball was actually snapped.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Skims is no stranger to bold and thought-provoking products, having previously caused a stir with its controversial line of face wraps.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The sighting has caused a stir in the country and the broader region, as experts believe the whale could be the elusive Migaloo, an extremely rare, decades-old all-white humpback.
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • No team has done that in the regular season in the last 24 tries.
    Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 15 Oct. 2025
  • This will be another attempt to approve legislation to fund the government, following seven previous unsuccessful tries.
    Terry Moseley, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Unsubstantiated rumors still swirl online and in county meetings that wind, solar and battery storage facilities will degrade the environment, destroy rural culture and lower property values.
    Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 20 Oct. 2025
  • My spaghetti noodles were swirled around three meatballs on my plate.
    Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Max spins Schadenfreude circles around Christian before towing him back to the boat with another Jet Ski.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2025
  • The material is washed, processed locally into balls, flakes and/or pellets that meet European industrial standards, and then spun into a high-grade thread, without blending with virgin plastic or chemical additives.
    Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Patriots have Williams, Christian Barmore, Khyiris Tonga, Joshua Farmer and Cory Durden to rotate in the middle of the defense.
    Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Slice the dough as directed, rotating the roll frequently to avoid creating a flat side.
    Jessica Saari Christensen, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Well, the speed of disruption is clearly speeding up.
    Fortune Editors, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Once Mercury and Mars move into expansive Sagittarius and your curious third house, communication speeds up.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Whirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirl. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

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