1
as in rotation
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 confusion
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 stir
a state of noisy, confused activity
lost an earring in the whirl of the party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
3
as in to rotate
to move in circles around an axis or center
the gambler held his breath as the roulette wheel whirled
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to speed
to proceed or move quickly
cars whirling by on the highway
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whirl
Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 8 Feb. 2025
Goldberg and Crystal have both stood where Conan O'Brien did last night and took a whirl at hosting from the Academy Awards stage.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 3 Mar. 2025
Editorial, Boston Herald, 5 Mar. 2025
As these stars and planets whirl around each other, their gravitational interactions perturb the orbits of other smaller objects in Alpha Centauri, ranging from asteroids and comets — planetesimals left over from the formation of our neighboring system — to particles of dust.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whirl
Noun
Gomez's visit to the happiest place on earth with Blanco featured several sweet moments, including a Guardians of the Galaxy experience and a whirl on the Mad Tea Party ride, both of which were documented by fans on social media.
—Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 8 Feb. 2025
Goldberg and Crystal have both stood where Conan O'Brien did last night and took a whirl at hosting from the Academy Awards stage.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 3 Mar. 2025
Verb
But the uncomfortably uncertain path of this asteroid — discovered only in late December — offered a timely reminder of how vulnerable humanity remains to hidden perils whirling through space, and how much still needs to be done to protect the planet.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 5 Mar. 2025
As these stars and planets whirl around each other, their gravitational interactions perturb the orbits of other smaller objects in Alpha Centauri, ranging from asteroids and comets — planetesimals left over from the formation of our neighboring system — to particles of dust.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whirl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirl
Noun
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Plus, score trendy barrel pants and linen trousers to add to your workwear rotation.—
Emily Weaver,
People.com,
3 May 2025
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For our other go-to lawn care tools and gadgets that made it into our frequent rotation, keep reading.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
3 May 2025
Noun
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The Arkansas regiment was unable to hold its position and fled in confusion when ordered to charge by Yell.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 May 2025
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Driving that reversal: the public’s confusion over and disapproval of his tariff policies.—
Christian Paz,
Vox,
2 May 2025
Noun
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No playoff rotational decision caused a stir quite like Redick’s bold Game 4 move.—
Jovan Buha,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
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The company, which started in 2015 and sells itself as a meal kit service, is actually closer to an online grocery store than a place that’s going to send you half an onion wrapped in plastic and a tiny baggy of cumin to make some so-so black bean tacos or a random stir fry.—
Carina Finn,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Under the cover of darkness, the Traitors murder the Faithful one by one in a treacherous spree, while the Faithful try to uncover the Traitors and banish them from the game.—
Matt Minton,
Variety,
9 May 2025
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The Oilers entered the game with a 23-15 deficit in power-play tries in the playoffs.—
Daniel Nugent-Bowman,
New York Times,
9 May 2025
Verb
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Cook, swirling butter and stirring often, until butter is golden brown and has a nutty fragrance, 2 to 3 minutes more.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
2 May 2025
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Clues that pointed astronomers to these locations included swirling gas influenced by an early planet’s gravity, as well as rings and gaps of dust inside dust disks.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
30 Apr. 2025
Verb
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In a video posted by PBR, That Mexican OT spun away from a charging bull on two occasions, just barely escaping its horns.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 May 2025
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There are plenty of reasons to believe Milwaukee wouldn’t go for such an offer: Butler doesn’t exactly fit a rebuild timeline (and an unhappy Butler has made waves before), and spinning his sizable contract off to another team would likely prove difficult.—
Michael Nowels,
Mercury News,
13 May 2025
Verb
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Those openings included a face-to-face meeting last month between the junta leader and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia, which currently holds the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
2 May 2025
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The 70-year-old Boca Raton Museum of Art has an impressive permanent collection, thought-provoking rotating exhibits, a sculpture garden, and a design-forward gift shop with artisan gifts, contemporary home designs, jewelry, and more—perfect for unique souvenirs.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
2 May 2025
Verb
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This specifically is said to speed up the healing process and provide hydration on steroids.—
Perrie Samotin,
Glamour,
3 May 2025
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By learning from historical data and classification patterns, AI can help reduce human error, speed up the classification process, and handle enormous product catalogs with ease.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
3 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirl. Accessed 18 May. 2025.
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