as in rotation
a rapid turning about on an axis or central point
she slipped and, after an out-of-control reel, fell on her backside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
2
as in to stagger
to move forward while swaying from side to side
got off the amusement park ride reeling and barely able to stand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of reel
Theodore Tollefson, Twin Cities, 29 Jan. 2026
The sophomore was steady, including a pair of highlight-reel saves that looked like sure goals.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Jason Segel's character, Jimmy, is reeling over the tragic death of his wife throughout the show.
—Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reel
Noun
The Frost fans kept cheering her name, ‘Rooney, Rooney,’ after every highlight reel save at the net.
—Theodore Tollefson, Twin Cities, 29 Jan. 2026
The sophomore was steady, including a pair of highlight-reel saves that looked like sure goals.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
Guardiola was always a stern taskmaster with Sane, never overly praising him and often reeling back giddy reporters keen to hype the German star.
—Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Jason Segel's character, Jimmy, is reeling over the tragic death of his wife throughout the show.
—Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reel
Noun
-
Inspiring Lifelong Professional Growth Accelerated nursing programs allow students to discover areas of interest during clinical rotations and expose them to speciality options, leadership roles, and advanced-practice opportunities.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
3 Feb. 2026
-
If nothing else changes, Sacramento’s rotation will be clogged with aging, one-dimensional vets who can’t defend in space or keep up in transition.—
LeBron Antonio Hill,
Sacbee.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The facility outside the city of Isfahan was mainly known for producing the uranium gas that is fed into centrifuges to be spun and purified.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Recently, scientists discovered the fastest-spinning large asteroid in the solar system.—
January 31,
NPR,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Layoffs will be staggered through the site’s closure on April 29.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The pools are staggered across levels (some adults-only), and there are connecting rooms and kid-friendly food.—
Jonnie Bayfield,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Indie Sparks writes strong heroines whose knees go weak for cinnamon roll heroes with dirty mouths and the skills to walk the talk.—
Meg Miller,
Austin American Statesman,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The lasagna roll-up is a genius approach to uniform serving sizes.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Miranda and two of the passengers, who have not been publicly identified, were able to swim to the bank and climb out.—
Susan Young,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Steve gathers with a number of us who swim in Coney Island about twice a week.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Before every artful-minded modern horror film became about grief and trauma, The Babadook explored these themes with authenticity, deftly weaving in Amelia's grief over the loss of her husband and her inability to control her son with traditional horror tropes.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Jan. 2026
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Across it, Thomas embraces maximalism, weaving together R&B, funk, and psychedelic rock to showcase his wide array of influences (everyone from D’Angelo to Jimi Hendrix) and talents as a multi-instrumentalist.—
Hershal Pandya,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The crash occurred several hours before a man was clipped by a train at the Times Square station and killed when he was dragged under the wheels.—
David Matthews,
New York Daily News,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Multiple neighbors spotted King making sure the distance was correct and legal, bending down to the wheels and using a tape measure.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When her car began to lurch forward, an agent near the front left-side of the SUV drew his gun and shot her at close range.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
14 Jan. 2026
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Natanya complicates her old-school character sketch with cerebral shifts in perspective, affecting each of the voices that accompany a young woman’s drive for success and independence (demanding friends and parents, sexist expectations, her own willpower) in a lurching cascade of melodies.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reel. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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