reeling 1 of 2

as in giddy
having a feeling of being whirled about and in danger of falling down the blood donor experienced a reeling sensation after standing up too quickly

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reeling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of reel
1
as in spinning
to be in a confused state as if from being twirled around his mind reeled upon hearing the news that his employer had been indicted for fraud

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of reeling
Adjective
Even if Lee were sober and thinking straight, her alluring, blows-hot-and-cold Betty Jo would be impossible for a guy like Lee — reckless, reeling, distractible — to resist. Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
Democrats are reeling from upsets in Colorado’s primary Tuesday night as an anti-establishment wave buried a pair of party veterans. Adam Beam, AJC.com, 1 July 2026 Much of the credit for the team’s resurgence has gone to coach Mauricio Pochettino, who inherited a program reeling from its disappointing first-round exit at the 2024 Copa América. Luisa Yanez july 1, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026 Getty Images The Cleveland Guardians are reeling from injuries to three of their best offensive players. Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Even before the recent wildfires ignited, Utah cattle ranchers were reeling from a record drought that has hit the state, drying out thousands of acres of grazing land, officials said. Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 30 June 2026 Daemon’s been pressing Rhaenyra to be more aggressive, and now, reeling from grief, she’s poised to act. Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 June 2026 It's also become common for Musk to make Starlink service available for free in areas where people are reeling from natural disasters and other threats. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 29 June 2026 At the end of the game, Hilton exited the stadium with the toddlers at her side, clearly still reeling from the exhilarating game-day experience. Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 27 June 2026 Derek Hill robbed Juan Soto of a two-run homer with a spectacular catch that helped Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the reeling New York Mets 2-1 on Friday night. CBS News, 26 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reeling
Adjective
  • Ureña, a 22-year-old right-hander who has emerged as another potential ace, speaks of Soriano with a giddy amusement mixed with a solemn respect for how the starter has survived in the big leagues.
    Liana Handler, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
  • For now, the stock market and the credit market are telling slightly different stories about the same companies, one giddy and one wary.
    Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • Overcome Didier Deschamps’ side on July 9 – a tall order at the moment given how good Les Bleus look – and heads will be spinning at the possibilities that could await.
    Ben Church, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • But his head was spinning after a day of trying to prepare for F1 and F2 cars.
    Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Verb
  • The works depicted broken figures staggering toward the viewer in ragged uniforms — in distorted sizes, giant hands and small heads.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
  • The works depicted broken figures staggering toward the viewer in ragged uniforms — in distorted sizes, giant hand and small heads.
    ABC News, ABC News, 1 May 2026
Adjective
  • People with heat exhaustion typically feel dizzy, start sweating profusely, have a fast pulse and can feel sick.
    Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 2 July 2026
  • The 77-year-old American Idol judge complained about feeling dizzy during the opening night of the Sing a Song All Night Long Tour featuring Earth, Wind & Fire.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • The old guard of the Democratic Party suffered another body blow when three socialist congressional candidates in New York with anti-Israel platforms swept to victory, lurching the party even further to the left.
    Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 25 June 2026
  • Taking the ride with Lazy Horse means embracing that chaos, lurching from song to song.
    Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 25 June 2026
Adjective
  • The magnetar was initially surrounded by a whirling disk of matter, funneling from its inner edge onto the stellar remnant.
    Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Alongside Chase and her family stands film director Guy Ritchie; not as a badge‑on celebrity, but as a creative collaborator who has invested both capital and time in the project, designing the Wild Kitchen feasting tables and quietly weaving the whisky into his storytelling world.
    Lewis Chester, Robb Report, 27 June 2026
  • But over the nearly one-and-a-half years since the 2025 mega-fires, native and invasive grasses, bushes and trees have begun to regrow, weaving flammable greenery across the landscape.
    Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Reeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reeling. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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