as in vortex
water moving rapidly in a circle with a hollow in the center
in The Odyssey, Ulysses is trapped between the six-headed monster Scylla and Charybdis, a deadly whirlpool that threatens to suck in his ship
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Recent Examples of whirlpool
Swirls of synths follow like a churning whirlpool of insecurity.
—
Lydia Wei, Pitchfork, 13 Apr. 2026
In addition to weights and five specialized classrooms, the club includes two outdoor pools, a lounging deck, locker areas with a whirlpool, sauna, steam room, and cold plunge.
—Noah Daly
april 9, Idaho Statesman, 9 Apr. 2026
But Harriet Tubman hasn’t written verses or choruses for her, instead opting for a whirlpool of slushy guitar and sticky rhythms that swirls around Muldrow’s impressionistic declarations and assertive meditations.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 30 Mar. 2026
Hero of the Seas also expands on the cruise line’s family suites with Ultimate Family Treehouse, a three-deck stay with a rooftop terrace and private whirlpool, a two-deck teen space and two main bedrooms each with their own bathroom and balcony.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for whirlpool
Lydia Wei, Pitchfork, 13 Apr. 2026
In addition to weights and five specialized classrooms, the club includes two outdoor pools, a lounging deck, locker areas with a whirlpool, sauna, steam room, and cold plunge.
—Noah Daly
april 9, Idaho Statesman, 9 Apr. 2026
But Harriet Tubman hasn’t written verses or choruses for her, instead opting for a whirlpool of slushy guitar and sticky rhythms that swirls around Muldrow’s impressionistic declarations and assertive meditations.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 30 Mar. 2026
Hero of the Seas also expands on the cruise line’s family suites with Ultimate Family Treehouse, a three-deck stay with a rooftop terrace and private whirlpool, a two-deck teen space and two main bedrooms each with their own bathroom and balcony.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for whirlpool
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirlpool
vortex
Noun
-
Zachary Taylor, who was asking for a five-year sentence, described him as an impressionable young man who suffered from depression and was pulled into the algorithmic vortex of hate speech on social media.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
13 May 2026
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The winds across Antarctica's frozen landscape have carved incredible, swirling vortexes in the clouds above the icy terrain.—
Chelsea Gohd,
Space.com,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whirlpool.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirlpool. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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