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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of whirl
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026
Green’s guitar whirls nimbly underneath the words, while an effect like a muted choir loops in the background.
—Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 6 Mar. 2026
Delbert L. Chears, Outdoor Life, 5 Mar. 2026
They got engaged, and later married during the set, surrounded by the artist and whirling revelers.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for whirl
Noun
Jacobson’s Willy is a whirl of insecurity, misplaced self-confidence and bewilderment at how his world has changed around him.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026
Green’s guitar whirls nimbly underneath the words, while an effect like a muted choir loops in the background.
—Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
The jaguar growled, whirled and bit off the protruding head of the arrow.
—Delbert L. Chears, Outdoor Life, 5 Mar. 2026
They got engaged, and later married during the set, surrounded by the artist and whirling revelers.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for whirl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirl
Noun
-
Steele is now unlikely to rejoin the Cubs’ rotation until after the July All-Star break, Counsell estimated.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The right-hander, who has been the steadiest pitcher in the rotation, blanked the Washington Nationals over six innings in an 8-0 win.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Invite someone in, agree on a clear next step, and follow through together so momentum builds without confusion or mixed signals.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Apr. 2026
-
After shooting, there was initial confusion as to what had happened before journalists were able to reach their news outlets to report the details of what unfolded.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
White-Jacket did cause a stir with its discussion of the arbitrary and cruel use of flogging in the US Navy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Remove the foil and give the orzo another good stir, then bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes more, until the orzo is tender and creamy.—
Kelly McCarthy,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Then their penalty kill was beaten for the first time in 10 tries when MacKinnon lined home a slap shot in from the center of the left circle 16 seconds after Kings defenseman Brian Dumoulin was sent off for interference.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Block collisions need to be balanced with efficient play-arounds to create more tackle tries.—
The Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Next up was the Reese’s ice cream, which used a chocolate base with peanut butter swirled throughout.—
Tristan Graziano,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Formula 1 races in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain were canceled and rumors swirled around whether future WWE events could be held in the kingdom.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Similar to how spiders spin webs on Earth, such robots could effectively 3D-print structures in space.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
-
My biggest complaint is that while the main narrative does wrap up tidily, the story also spins forward in a way that demands a sequel (which Spufford is already working on).—
John Warner,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Rina and Serasi will rotate time with the adult tigers, and Suki will lead the way when the cubs head outside.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Astrobotic on Thursday announced the successful hot fire testing of its Chakram rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Performance turnarounds of this nature take time, and there are no tangible shortcuts that can speed up the process.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Forty-seven people died and more than 100 were injured when a speeding Burlington passenger train headed for California slammed into a train bound for Omaha, which had stopped at the Naperville station.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirl. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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