as in to curl
to follow a circular or spiral course
a narrow road spiraling up the mountain to the summit
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of spiral
Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 3 Mar. 2025
But being able to distinguish when things are challenging versus straight-up unhealthy can keep you from spiraling into petty drama and sneaky backstabbing.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 3 Mar. 2025
Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2025
The actress’ dress featured a burgundy spiral asymmetrical ruffle embellished with crystal fox embroidery.
—Julia Teti, WWD, 11 Feb. 2025
Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2025
In one amazing scene, Dwayne’s staff greet him on his birthday wearing photographic-Dwayne masks, sending him into a self-consuming spiral of anxiety.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiral
Verb
But things quickly spiraled for the film: Not only did audiences critique the storyline for regressive and inauthentic storytelling, but Gasćon drew negative attention for shading her fellow nominee Fernanda Torres — and then the real mine fields detonated: Twitter users dug up Gascón’s old tweets.
—Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 3 Mar. 2025
But being able to distinguish when things are challenging versus straight-up unhealthy can keep you from spiraling into petty drama and sneaky backstabbing.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
Five times a day, a muezzin would climb nearly 150 feet in the tower’s spiral stairway to sing the call to prayer.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2025
The actress’ dress featured a burgundy spiral asymmetrical ruffle embellished with crystal fox embroidery.
—Julia Teti, WWD, 11 Feb. 2025
Noun
Background galaxies are scattered across the image, with some particularly prominent spirals located at upper left and upper right.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2025
In one amazing scene, Dwayne’s staff greet him on his birthday wearing photographic-Dwayne masks, sending him into a self-consuming spiral of anxiety.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiral
Verb
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The comedian curls the viewer into the drama of his own debasement, Limon theorized, and the relationship is christened, if the joke works, with a laughter that amalgamates the many into one.—
Lauren Michele Jackson,
The New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2025
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Her cigarettes stayed in the bathroom, smoke curling out the window and drifting over the neighbor’s fence.—
Jackie Charniga,
USA TODAY,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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But the end of that long and winding road is here, so will the upcoming slate result in a true box office revival?—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
19 Feb. 2025
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Venice, with its winding canals, centuries-old architecture, and romantic gondola rides, has long been hailed as one of the most beautiful cities in the world.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
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While navigating the left curve, the HR-V driver activated her left turn signal and began to slow down to make a left turn into the driveway when the Accord driver, identified as Leblanc, allegedly struck the HR-V from behind causing the HR-V to strike a tree, the warrant affidavit said.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
1 Mar. 2025
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The Keeling Curve goes precipitously up; the curve of basic national responsibility is curving sharply down now.—
Bill McKibben,
The New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The pertinence of this story to current events will likely be the first thing anyone focuses on, and rightly so, but the directors also deserve credit for the film’s tightly coiled, deeply felt terror, panic, and betrayal. 32.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
28 Feb. 2025
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But, about halfway into the story, Proulx abandons her customary prose style, which is as coiled as a rattlesnake and about as sentimental, in order to cut loose and give the boys their first moment of physical tenderness.—
Michael Cunningham,
The New Yorker,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Simply apply a few pumps onto dry skin and gently rub your face in circular motions for at least 30 seconds.—
Denise Primbet,
Glamour,
28 Feb. 2025
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Berlin is among the most active circular economies in El Salvador, with over 150 merchants accepting Bitcoin.—
Javier Bastardo,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The areas had large pieces of Middle and Late Iron Age pottery, as well as other cooking vessels and a spindle whorl.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2025
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The self-flagellation is uncomfortable and dark, and the instrumental’s whorl of warped voices, sax melodies, and bass lines intensifies the feeling that he is trapped within his choices. 17.—
Stephen Kearse,
Vulture,
4 Feb. 2025
Verb
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These geodesics would wind around the same region of a surface for a long time, forming convoluted tangles.—
Joseph Howlett,
Quanta Magazine,
3 Mar. 2025
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The vegan fragrance opens with notes of jammy fig before winding through earthy vetiver and honeyed jasmine sambac.—
Jenny Berg,
Allure,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Ada County Highway District has responded to several problems with the roads in Eyrie Canyon, while city of Boise records show several other homeowners in the neighborhood have also applied for permits to put in helical piers.—
Nick Rosenberger,
Idaho Statesman,
17 Feb. 2025
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The first application of RM analysis to a protostellar jet revealed a definite helical magnetic field within HH 80-81.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
30 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spiral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiral. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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