whirlpool
noun
whirl·pool
ˈ(h)wər(-ə)l-ˌpül 
1
a
: a confused tumult and bustle : whirl
b
: a magnetic or impelling force by which something may be engulfed
… refusing to be drawn into this whirlpool of intrigue …—
A. D. White
A. D. White2
b
Examples of whirlpool in a Sentence
The swimmer was caught in a whirlpool and nearly drowned.
in The Odyssey, Ulysses is trapped between the six-headed monster Scylla and Charybdis, a deadly whirlpool that threatens to suck in his ship
Recent Examples on the Web
Make good use of your access to The Spa at Boyne Mountain by luxuriating in the indoor/outdoor pool, steam room, cedar sauna, and whirlpool.
—Stacy Conde, Midwest Living, 30 Dec. 2025
Maybe dip into the whirlpool or in the cold-water plunge.
—Terri Daxon, Oc Register, 25 Dec. 2025
In recent years, Arnold and Groussman cycled through restraining-order filings and high-conflict custody disputes — a whirlpool of public headlines that threatened not just his privacy, but also his children’s stability.
—Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
The 50,000-square-foot wellness space channels the grandeur of Spain’s Alhambra Palace with intricate Moorish architectural influences and a lush courtyard, home to a private pool and waterfall whirlpools.
—Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whirlpool
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Stacy Conde, Midwest Living, 30 Dec. 2025
Maybe dip into the whirlpool or in the cold-water plunge.
—Terri Daxon, Oc Register, 25 Dec. 2025
In recent years, Arnold and Groussman cycled through restraining-order filings and high-conflict custody disputes — a whirlpool of public headlines that threatened not just his privacy, but also his children’s stability.
—Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
The 50,000-square-foot wellness space channels the grandeur of Spain’s Alhambra Palace with intricate Moorish architectural influences and a lush courtyard, home to a private pool and waterfall whirlpools.
—Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whirlpool
Cite this Entry
“Whirlpool.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whirlpool. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
whirlpool
noun
whirl·pool
ˈhwər(-ə)l-ˌpül
ˈwər(-ə)l-
1
: water moving rapidly in a circle with a hollow in the center into which floating objects are drawn : eddy
2
Medical Definition
whirlpool
noun
whirl·pool
ˈhwər(-ə)l-ˌpül, ˈwər(-ə)l-
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