whirl 1 of 2

1
as in rotation
a rapid turning about on an axis or central point the whirl of the mechanical ride made him dizzy

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2
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4
as in try
an effort to do or accomplish something I'm pretty good at fixing things, so how about if I give it a whirl?

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whirl

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to stir
to cause (as a liquid) to move about in a circle especially repeatedly whirled the chocolate syrup into the milk with a spoon

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2
as in to spin
to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis the figure skater whirled his partner with effortless grace

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5
as in to swim
to be in a confused state as if from being twirled around my mind whirled from all of the excitement

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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 whirl
Noun
Photojournalist Jeff Gritchen gives it a whirl before Martin swings in to finish up the job. Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 15 Aug. 2025 Perez battled back with a tilt-a-whirl, but Iyo did a front flip out of the move and landed on her feet to a standing ovation. Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
Back on electric guitar, Beck spun a whirling dervish in front of Outwater, spitting in rapid fire fashion later. Jim Ryan, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025 After a Joey Estes fastball came near his head, Robles whirled around and chucked his bat at the pitcher. Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for whirl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirl
Noun
  • These days, Christmas movies, broadly and charitably defined, seem to be synonymous with the brassy, hokey, sickly sweet sort of fare that has a permanent home on the Hallmark Channel and is in perpetual rotation on Netflix.
    Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
  • However, this mathematical fact doesn’t have anything to do with our calendar at all, nor with our planet’s rotation on its axis coupled with Earth’s revolution around the Sun.
    Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Initial confusion about the number of suspects has been clarified through security footage analysis, helping authorities provide accurate information to the public.
    Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
  • There was some confusion about whether the recommendation approved Friday sought to require those seeking COVID vaccination to have conversations with medical professionals about the risks and benefits involved before rolling up their sleeves.
    Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Of course this caused a stir, but the beauty looks?
    Essence, Essence, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Researchers have also pointed out that friction stir welding exerts tremendous force (up to 5,000 pounds) and something needs to capture that force.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • How To Play Wordle Wordle is a daily word puzzle game where your goal is to guess a hidden five-letter word in six tries or fewer.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Only Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals had defeated Mahomes' Chiefs in three straight tries before Hurts did so.
    Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The bristles are neither too floppy nor too stiff, neither too long nor too short, and are cut to the perfect rounded shape that’s just right for swirling pigment over the apples or spreading it along your cheekbones—without having to work too hard for a completely natural finish.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
  • These familiar, turbulent morasses of swirling droplets continue to stymie scientists.
    Joseph Howlett, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Delivering an incredible 280 Air Watts of suction through its fifth generation Hyperdymium capable of spinning at 135,000rpm, the flagship model boasts a number of other supporting technologies such as laser dust detection, whole-machine HEPA filtration, and a 70-minute runtime.
    Alex Harrington, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Gaudí’s structure is a head-spinning mixture of morphing geometrical forms, many inspired by nature.
    D. T. Max, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The counter-rotating rotors remove the need for a tail rotor, while adjustable tail vanes provide smooth yaw control by catching the airflow.
    Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2025
  • For adventurous diners, Wednesday nights offer a rotating off-menu experience called Wednesday Night Raw.
    Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • European firms still face challenges in securing access to crucial rare earths from China, a business lobby warned Wednesday, despite a July deal to speed up exports.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 17 Sep. 2025
  • The prediction from the AI on the protein structure could certainly speed up the processes within drug and biotechnical development.
    Alex Harrington, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Whirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirl. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.

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