as in to rotate
to move in circles around an axis or center
the kayaker had got sucked into the whirlpool, and his kayak was pinwheeling helplessly
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pinwheel
The man in the white vest pinwheeled his arms, ushering volunteers through the pick-up line outside the Salvation Army Community Center on Fourth Street with military precision.
—
Lizzie Johnson, SFChronicle.com, 25 Dec. 2019
Some upper-level energy may move through the region, pinwheeling from the New England storm.
—Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2019
According to the space agency, IC 2051 is a spiral galaxy, noticeable in its whirling, pinwheeling arms and a bar of stars cutting through its center.
—Fox News, 23 Dec. 2019
The result is a vertiginous nausea that sends me pinwheeling toward the bathroom, though the men still breathe at a decibel level loud enough to permeate its heavy chestnut door.
—Barrett Swanson, Harper's magazine, 28 Oct. 2019
See all Example Sentences for pinwheel 
Lizzie Johnson, SFChronicle.com, 25 Dec. 2019
Some upper-level energy may move through the region, pinwheeling from the New England storm.
—Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2019
According to the space agency, IC 2051 is a spiral galaxy, noticeable in its whirling, pinwheeling arms and a bar of stars cutting through its center.
—Fox News, 23 Dec. 2019
The result is a vertiginous nausea that sends me pinwheeling toward the bathroom, though the men still breathe at a decibel level loud enough to permeate its heavy chestnut door.
—Barrett Swanson, Harper's magazine, 28 Oct. 2019
See all Example Sentences for pinwheel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pinwheel
Verb
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Bake for 55-65 minutes, rotating the pan half way through to make sure even baking.—
Bev Barrett,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
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The name pays tribute to Ngo’s late mother Mai Chu, with items such as a rotating fish crudo and filet mignon in bò kho (a spicy Vietnamese soup) jus. ▪ Tomo Noodles & Dumplings is in its soft opening phase at 3230 Arena Blvd.—
Benjy Egel,
Sacramento Bee,
6 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Wednesday, January 8, 2025, brought a new record of outstanding credit card and revolving credit spending: almost $1.09 trillion.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
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Those rates are hitting much higher balances, with money owed on revolving credit swelling to $645 billion, up 52.5% since hitting a decade low of $423 billion in the second quarter of 2021, according to the Philadelphia Fed.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The atmosphere was electric, set to the rhythm of classic R&B hits spun by Abby the DJ, creating an inviting, soulful energy that filled the space.—
Lyric Christian,
Essence,
7 Feb. 2025
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Weaving a fascination for lace A delicate jewel among textiles, lace is an elegant and deceptively simple creation whose appeal has been spun for centuries.—
David Morgan,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Sleek sea otters dive and twirl in a tank before awed visitors.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2025
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Customers say the fit is comfortable and not itchy, so your little princess can twirl fuss-free.—
Nora Colomer,
Fox News,
3 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Pinwheel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pinwheel. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025.
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