as in to curl
to follow a circular or spiral course
a narrow road spiraling up the mountain to the summit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in winding
turning around an axis like the thread of a screw
a spiral staircase takes visitors up into the Statue of Liberty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 spiral
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
Iranians have been hit by spiraling prices for food, medicine and other goods.
—ABC News, 13 May 2026
Michael Schneider, Variety, 15 May 2026
Things reportedly spiral after a strange signal hidden beneath the city’s subway tunnels begins mutating the station’s broadcasts — and possibly its listeners.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 14 May 2026
ABC News, 6 May 2026
Zohran Mamdani’s anti-business, anti-wealth crusade is thrusting the city into a death spiral — fewer businesses and residents mean higher taxes, since local leaders won’t cut spending, driving even more to leave.
—Liz Peek, Washington Post, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for spiral
Verb
Instead of spiraling, acknowledge where structure would actually make your life easier.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
Iranians have been hit by spiraling prices for food, medicine and other goods.
—ABC News, 13 May 2026
Adjective
But at the very least, since there’s a big lie at the center of the premise (as his character, Russ Holliday, sees his stunt as a rookie quarterback in prosthetics spiral out of control), Powell says the heat will continue to be turned up.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 15 May 2026
Things reportedly spiral after a strange signal hidden beneath the city’s subway tunnels begins mutating the station’s broadcasts — and possibly its listeners.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 14 May 2026
Noun
The most obvious way to stop this spiral from repeating itself every election cycle is for Congress to pass a law requiring states to only do redistricting after a census.
—ABC News, 6 May 2026
Zohran Mamdani’s anti-business, anti-wealth crusade is thrusting the city into a death spiral — fewer businesses and residents mean higher taxes, since local leaders won’t cut spending, driving even more to leave.
—Liz Peek, Washington Post, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for spiral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiral
Verb
-
Bachman retired the side in order in the eighth, but Kirby Yates couldn’t convert his first save opportunity for the Angels, as McNeil led off the ninth by curling his second homer inside the right-field foul pole, tying the score at 5.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2026
-
There is a cocker spaniel, rented for the day, curled beside him.—
Maneet Ahuja,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
Soneva Jani stretches almost four miles along a stunning lagoon, with a small, lush island connecting two winding jetties, each snaking through the turquoise waters and leading to a collection of unique overwater villas.—
William Curtis,
Travel + Leisure,
6 May 2026
-
Even the entrance is enveloping—a winding, sheltered, dark wooden path that smells like intense relaxation and essential oils.—
Morgan Fargo,
Vogue,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Comeback’s blunt depiction of Hollywood neuroses has been ahead of the curve since its 2005 debut.—
Caroline Framke,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
-
The learning curve has been sharp, but Canvot has taken it in his stride.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
When startled, the snake coils its body into a figure-eight shape or raises its tail to mimic another head and confuse predators.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
-
But when classes resumed this week for the first time since the Iran war began, coiled barbed wire blocked the Palestinian siblings’ path to the village center.—
Sam Metz,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The lobby’s circular floor plan gives the illusion of a lily pad floating atop a koi pond.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
-
The restricted area is a circular zone of about 33 miles around the city, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Blue, purple, or white whorls of flowers rise above the strappy foliage in summer.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
5 May 2026
-
In most flowers, sepals are a whorl of green, known as a calyx, at the base of the petals, but here sepals, which are pointed, make up the entire inflorescence.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Both cases have been winding their way through state courts, with no decisive resolution.—
Annie Ma,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2026
-
Touge races, in which players drift down the winding curves of a mountain like Takumi Fujiwara in his Toyota AE86.—
Gieson Cacho,
Mercury News,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
Designed by Scott Wilson Architecture with interiors by Cherie Grisham, the residence opens with a dramatic double-height foyer capped by a 20-foot reflective ceiling and anchored by a sweeping helical staircase.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
8 May 2026
-
The two twisted helical stair stringers that support the treads are the structural beams that support the stairs and anyone going up and down them.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
3 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spiral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiral. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
