1
as in rotating
to move in circles around an axis or center
spinning on its axis, the Earth makes one complete rotation every 23 hours 56 minutes 4 seconds
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
3
as in twirling
to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis
spun the child around until he was hopelessly dizzy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spinning
For her winning run, Gremaud, a 26-year-old who has last year’s world championship title to go with her two Olympic golds, skied backward, then flipped twice while spinning once and nailed the landing.
—
Eddie Pells, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Patagonia’s proprietary synthetic fill imitates down’s structure by spinning air-trapping microfilaments around a central fiber and requires fewer stabilizing seams and baffles than down.
—Kelly Bastone, Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
The new machines weren’t just spinning cotton or shaping steel.
—Josh Tyrangiel, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Intent on spinning details into prose and becoming a writer, Atwood enrolled at Victoria College at the University of Toronto.
—Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
Vonn was seen spinning in the air before crashing and was subsequently heard screaming as medical personnel surrounded her.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Feb. 2026
Spokespeople like Sanders Townsend are often oppositional and focused on spinning their candidates' angles to reporters like Daniels, but healthy working relationships make things flow more smoothly for both sides.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
Others of note Right-hander Bryce Meccage is 93-96 with a slider and curveball, spinning everything well, and lacking a real changeup while showing decent control but below-average command.
—Keith Law, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
The Post has always been accused of ‘misinformation’ by spinning politicians, but from Hunter Biden, BLM and Covid to Biden’s failing health, it has been consistently proven right.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Feb. 2026
Eddie Pells, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Patagonia’s proprietary synthetic fill imitates down’s structure by spinning air-trapping microfilaments around a central fiber and requires fewer stabilizing seams and baffles than down.
—Kelly Bastone, Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
The new machines weren’t just spinning cotton or shaping steel.
—Josh Tyrangiel, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Intent on spinning details into prose and becoming a writer, Atwood enrolled at Victoria College at the University of Toronto.
—Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
Vonn was seen spinning in the air before crashing and was subsequently heard screaming as medical personnel surrounded her.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Feb. 2026
Spokespeople like Sanders Townsend are often oppositional and focused on spinning their candidates' angles to reporters like Daniels, but healthy working relationships make things flow more smoothly for both sides.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
Others of note Right-hander Bryce Meccage is 93-96 with a slider and curveball, spinning everything well, and lacking a real changeup while showing decent control but below-average command.
—Keith Law, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
The Post has always been accused of ‘misinformation’ by spinning politicians, but from Hunter Biden, BLM and Covid to Biden’s failing health, it has been consistently proven right.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spinning
Verb
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Gu executed back-to-back double corks—rotating twice off-axis in the air.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
9 Feb. 2026
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That motion flows directly into a backflip, with Atlas tucking its body tightly, rotating midair, and landing cleanly on both feet.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The flavor was overwhelmingly oversized, proving that few things look as luxurious as swimming around in a gigantic khaki coat.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
4 Feb. 2026
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Tracking tags used by OCEARCH have revealed white sharks use the East Coast like a highway in the winter, swimming from Canada to warmer waters off Florida.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As soon as the referee called Wildcats ball, Karaban started twirling his finger, begging his bench for a review.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
31 Jan. 2026
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Chuky said, twirling a thick finger at Adi’s rifle.—
Jonathan Miles,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Without Champions League football in 2026-27, there is every chance United will have to borrow money to spend significantly and dip back into their revolving credit facility — essentially, a bank overdraft — which funded much of last summer’s £215million expenditure.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
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On the positive side, there isn't too much panic on the credit side of the equation yet for the sector, according to one banker, with revolving lines of credit not yet being drawn.—
Seema Mody,
CNBC,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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They got engaged, and later married during the set, surrounded by the artist and whirling revelers.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
10 Feb. 2026
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Patterns emerged in the observations, captured both close to the star and further away from it, that suggested a companion star was whirling through Betelgeuse’s extended atmosphere.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The program has focused on turning waste into artwork while raising awareness about how much plastic the community throws away.—
Spencer Wilson,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
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King then collided with the passenger side of 2015 GMC Terrain, which was headed north on Missouri 291 and turning west into a shopping center at Elizabeth Street, Mulch said.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The haters will come out in force after your Super Bowl performance — misrepresenting your intentions, twisting your words and actions to suit their agenda.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
11 Feb. 2026
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The frontal plane is your side-to-side movements, and the transverse plane is twisting movements.—
Sarah Klein,
Outside,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Gas and dust swirling around a black hole block visible light, but infrared light can punch right through.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2026
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Even so, rumors have begun swirling that the rapper has gotten back together with his ex-girlfriend Gabriela Berlingeri.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spinning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spinning. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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