swirled; swirling; swirls
1
a
: to move with an eddying or whirling motion
swirling water
b
: to pass in whirling confusion
2
: to have a twist or convolution
: to cause to swirl
swirled her drink
Examples of swirl in a Sentence
Verb
The water swirled around the drain.
kept swirling her lemonade until the ice had melted and it was completely watered down
Noun
A swirl of smoke rose from the chimney.
He painted swirls of color on the canvas.
ice cream with chocolate swirls
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrew Pasquier, Them., 18 Sep. 2025
If conditions are right, the clusters swirl into a storm known as a tropical wave or tropical depression.
—Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
Andrew Pasquier, Them., 18 Sep. 2025
Tradition and opulence deftly swirl within its sumptuous interior—replete with crystal chandeliers, statuary, antiques and marble galore.
—Laura Manske, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swirl
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Verb
While mainstream fears around the youth taking drugs, the youth turning gay, and the combination of the two had been swirling for decades, the panic reached its zenith with Clinton-era nightlife raids and legislation like the RAVE Act of 2003.
—Andrew Pasquier, Them., 18 Sep. 2025
If conditions are right, the clusters swirl into a storm known as a tropical wave or tropical depression.
—Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
In August, Steven Phillips-Horst wrote a sensation-causing report about the pharmacological party swirl among a very narrow band of rich gay men who can afford hundreds of dollars in club entrances and baggies per weekend.
—Andrew Pasquier, Them., 18 Sep. 2025
Tradition and opulence deftly swirl within its sumptuous interior—replete with crystal chandeliers, statuary, antiques and marble galore.
—Laura Manske, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for swirl
Cite this Entry
“Swirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swirl. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
swirl
1 of 2 noun1
: a whirling mass or motion : eddy
2
: whirling confusion
lost in the swirl of events
3
: a twisting shape, mark, or pattern
swirl
2 of 2 verb1
: to move with or pass in a swirl
2
: to be marked with or arranged in swirls
3
: to cause to swirl
swirlingly
adverb
ˈswər-liŋ-lē
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