1
as in rotated
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
Relevance
2
3
as in twirled
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
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 spun
The Illinois freshman then spun to his left and hopped back behind the 3-point line, swishing his second 3-pointer of the night.
—
Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
This is made of cellulose spun into the fibers.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2026
Alarms went off, red light filled the cockpit, and the dials on John’s instruments spun.
—Jeff Wise, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
In a 2015 email, when Mead Johnson was considering supplying some of its formula to a researcher for a study, a company neonatologist expressed concern that the results could be spun to make the preemie product look unsafe.
—David Hilzenrath, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
Others dabble in meme coins — crypto assets that are quickly spun up and traded around memes and cultural moments.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 28 Mar. 2026
The state and the economic alliance forged ahead, the development letter of intent transferring to Sandisk after Western Digital spun it into a separate public company.
—CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
The American band’s 1996 debut spun indie pop gold from heartache and secondhand Hammond organ.
—David Glickman, Pitchfork, 27 Mar. 2026
Vonn lost control on the first jump, spun sideways in the air, slammed to the ground and needed to be airlifted from the course.
—Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026
Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
This is made of cellulose spun into the fibers.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2026
Alarms went off, red light filled the cockpit, and the dials on John’s instruments spun.
—Jeff Wise, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
In a 2015 email, when Mead Johnson was considering supplying some of its formula to a researcher for a study, a company neonatologist expressed concern that the results could be spun to make the preemie product look unsafe.
—David Hilzenrath, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
Others dabble in meme coins — crypto assets that are quickly spun up and traded around memes and cultural moments.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 28 Mar. 2026
The state and the economic alliance forged ahead, the development letter of intent transferring to Sandisk after Western Digital spun it into a separate public company.
—CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
The American band’s 1996 debut spun indie pop gold from heartache and secondhand Hammond organ.
—David Glickman, Pitchfork, 27 Mar. 2026
Vonn lost control on the first jump, spun sideways in the air, slammed to the ground and needed to be airlifted from the course.
—Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spun
Verb
-
In the 1830s the American inventor Samuel Colt filed patents for a new kind of handgun, one in which multiple firing chambers rotated around a single barrel.—
Simon Akam,
Vanity Fair,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Though most of the hundreds of historic items are held and preserved by the Center for Sacramento History, a small handful are regularly rotated out in the museum’s highly popular exhibit.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The whale swam into an inlet on the small island of Poel, near the port of Wismar, on Tuesday and got stuck again.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The Secret to Staying Sharp The actor, who previously swam and played tennis, now works out with a personal trainer twice a week — alongside Bartlett.—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
During rehearsals, members of the cast, which also includes Luke Evans, Juliette Lewis, and Rachel Dratch, had held a séance in the mezzanine, trying to contact some of those who had twirled under the room’s giant disco ball in times past—Prince, the drag queen Divine.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
During the silence, a little girl twirled on the tile floor by the stage.—
Caitlin McGlade,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley will return as Simon Williams and Trevor Slattery, the respective super-powered actor and ex-terrorist-thespian around which the show revolved.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Mar. 2026
-
City records going back to 2017, released to The Bee, in August show Karl Lysinger’s problems with the city revolved initially around his refusal to buy its water.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
18 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The jaguar growled, whirled and bit off the protruding head of the arrow.—
Delbert L. Chears,
Outdoor Life,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The journey started as a boy in Chicago, where sirens whirled through Rizzs’ neighborhood when the White Sox won the pennant in 1959.—
Tyler Kepner,
New York Times,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Estrada Juarez turned the camera to show the sunset.—
Mathew Miranda,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The Eastlake defense turned three double plays behind him, including a nifty 6-4-3, started by shortstop Zowen Watson, to end the game.—
John Maffei,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Construction, likely lifted by favorable weather, swung to a net gain of 26,000 jobs versus a 13,000-job loss in February.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Smith swung and missed at two cutters from Red Sox starter Brayan Bello to begin the plate appearance.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Emerald green steel tracks twisted overhead.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Gomez parted her hair in the center and pulled the lengths up, twisted them, and clipped her hair with a medium-sized sheer white claw clip and wrapping some of the lengths over the top of the clip.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spun.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spun. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
