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
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Recent Examples of spiral
Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 5 June 2025
More Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images Her two bogeys came off short misses, but that did not deter her from spiraling.
—Savannah Leigh Richardson, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 5 May 2025
Our planet itself is located along one of the galaxy’s spiral arms, about halfway from the center, according to NASA.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 23 May 2025
Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025
Joanne Cordero, the trust’s final CEO who took over amid its spiral in late 2022, was a co-author.
—Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiral
Verb
Meanwhile, Musk from his own digital perch on X unleashed a barrage of posts to his 220 million followers that soon had his public feud with Trump seeming to spiral into a mutual knock-down fight.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 5 June 2025
More Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images Her two bogeys came off short misses, but that did not deter her from spiraling.
—Savannah Leigh Richardson, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
Adjective
The galaxy’s far side (as relative to us) has only a few wisps of gas and stars, rather than a similarly spectacular spiral arm.
—Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 5 May 2025
Our planet itself is located along one of the galaxy’s spiral arms, about halfway from the center, according to NASA.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 23 May 2025
Noun
Episode Seven: After a shocking revelation, June spirals.
—Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025
Joanne Cordero, the trust’s final CEO who took over amid its spiral in late 2022, was a co-author.
—Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiral
Verb
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While there are certainly products that can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and needs, hair products are often created with specific consumers in mind.—
Annie Blackman,
Allure,
31 May 2025
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Afro hair transplant Afro hair requires unique techniques due to curl pattern and follicle structure.—
Ascend Agency,
New York Daily News,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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During his speech, Kissel made winding references to railroads, attorneys’ fees, scratch-off tickets, casinos, Hartford, car fatalities, troopers, eye-hand coordination, Jack LaLanne, Methuselah, the Bible, and hallucinogenic mushrooms.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
31 May 2025
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One way that’s easy to manifest is through maximalist bedding with punchy colors, big stripes, and winding patterns.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
25 May 2025
Noun
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The driver sped away, police said, but crashed at South Belt Line Road and Wheat Hill Drive after failing to negotiate a curve.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 June 2025
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With two on and two outs after a leadoff walk and an Aaron Judge double, Buehler tried to execute a below-the-zone knuckle curve.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
7 June 2025
Verb
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Instead, audiences will be coiled and ready for the next face-off between the two adversaries.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
13 May 2025
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After using the Find My app to track her location, Keith found Sherri’s phone lying in the dirt on the side of the road, headphones coiled around several strands of her hair.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
26 May 2025
Adjective
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The scalloped, circular shape departs from the traditional square shape of dinner napkins.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
16 June 2025
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Because of the positions and orbits of neighboring moons, Io’s orbit is elliptical rather than circular.—
Robin Andrews,
Wired News,
15 June 2025
Noun
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In 2024, the Ig Nobel Prize in anatomy went to an international team of scientists for their discovery that scalp hair whorls are more likely to spiral in a counter-clockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere compared with the Northern Hemisphere.—
Scott Lafee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 June 2025
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Stewart shows her characters largely in close-up, often from odd angles: looking up at a chin, for example, or coming in so close that a single eye or the whorl of an ear fills the screen.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
16 May 2025
Verb
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Paved trails wind through Coffee Creek, offering a peaceful summer backdrop for walking, biking, or enjoying local wildlife.—
Prime Development Land Company,
Kansas City Star,
8 June 2025
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Such cases tend to be long and winding roads, with no charges or even suggestions thereof at this point.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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Researchers also noted helical fiber structures in the cartilage, the twisting patterns of collagen helping prevent cracks from spreading.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
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Along with that, the research team also noted helical fiber structures, also with collagen, which suggests the cartilage is designed to prevent any cracks from spreading, and help to distribute staring and force.—
Discover Magazine,
Discover Magazine,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spiral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiral. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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