swirl 1 of 2

1
as in to stir
to cause (as a liquid) to move about in a circle especially repeatedly kept swirling her lemonade until the ice had melted and it was completely watered down

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2
as in to turn
to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis swirled her skirts as she danced the tango

Synonyms & Similar Words

swirl

2 of 2

noun

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 swirl
Verb
The shops also have a limited food menu with pretzel bites and sugar cookies topped with a swirl of pink icing. Hadley Hitson, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025 Imagine biting into a creamy swirl bursting with the bright taste of strawberries, the tropical tang of pineapple, or the sweet comfort of banana. Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Noun
Energy debates, custody risks, and international competition continue to swirl. Becca Bratcher, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025 Questions had swirled about that doomsday scenario in 2024, with Commissioner Roger Goodell’s ambiguous remarks on the matter seeming to add fuel to the speculation. Dade Hayes, Deadline, 24 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for swirl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swirl
Verb
  • That Trump’s name appears in Epstein files the government has not yet publicized has stirred a variety of reactions among his supporters.
    Chad de Guzman, Time, 24 July 2025
  • To make the honey syrup: mix two parts honey by volume with one part hot water and stir to incorporate (let chill before preparing the cocktail).
    Jillian Dara, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
Verb
  • Brock just turned 7 and was going for his first camp experience.
    Janelle Griffith, People.com, 15 July 2025
  • That turned into a backlash from within Trump's MAGA base when the DOJ and the FBI then stated in a memo there would be no new investigations of uncharged third parties.
    Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • Instead, Wilson asked staff to focus on the finding that there were no problems with the fuel quality and no issues in the takeoff roll, which is the initial stage of takeoff when an aircraft accelerates on the ground.
    Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 14 July 2025
  • Technically, the dances seem more from the swing band era than from rock ‘n’ roll, but that fits with the musical theater grounding of the rest of the show.
    Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • There are also rotating daily specials, with vegetarian versions typically available.
    Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 26 July 2025
  • From that point on, the Giants had to rotate through quarterbacks.
    Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
Noun
  • So my challenge to him was, well break into the rotation and make that Hall of Fame coach earn your trust.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 14 July 2025
  • Both are now in the rotation at low Single-A Lake Elsinore.
    Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • When a ball spins quickly through the air, the placement of its rough elements matters less; the ball moves as if these features are evenly distributed.
    Emma R. Hasson, Scientific American, 25 July 2025
  • On July 22 and August 5, the Earth will spin a little more than a millisecond faster than usual.
    Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 July 2025
Noun
  • After divorcing his ex-husband several years ago, the eddies of his relational whirlwinds have slowed, and the currents of his music career have gathered pace.
    Jonathan Horwitz, Oc Register, 20 June 2025
  • Rainbow sprinkles coat the outside of a large vanilla cake, with eddies of rainbow icing, coated in edible glitter, lining the top.
    Sophie Levenson, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • Pasteur’s work on molecules rested on a previous discovery by Augustin-Jean Fresnel, who in 1822 realized that different quartz prisms could send light’s electric field twirling in one of two directions—clockwise or counterclockwise.
    Zack Savitsky, Wired News, 22 June 2025
  • The rerecorded third album twirled into our lives like a lavender dream during the Eras Tour in 2023.
    Bryan West, The Tennessean, 10 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Swirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swirl. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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