REELING Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

reeling 1 of 2

adjective

as in giddy

having a feeling of being whirled about and in danger of falling down the blood donor experienced a reeling sensation after standing up too quickly

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reeling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of reel

as in spinning

to be in a confused state as if from being twirled around his mind reeled upon hearing the news that his employer had been indicted for fraud

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in staggering

to move forward while swaying from side to side got off the amusement park ride reeling and barely able to stand

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 reeling

Adjective

Even if Lee were sober and thinking straight, her alluring, blows-hot-and-cold Betty Jo would be impossible for a guy like Lee — reckless, reeling, distractible — to resist. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025

Verb

Film industry advocates lobbied hard for a carve-out, saying the cap would undercut gains made under the current film and TV tax credit program at a time when Hollywood has been reeling from job losses. — Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026 In the days since, the William Jewell and Liberty communities have been left reeling with the unexpected loss. — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 1 Sep. 2026 Norway’s new King Haakon VIII will be hoping that sentiment rings true following the death of his father, King Harald who died Friday after 35 years on the throne, marking the latest blow for a family reeling from scandal. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 Allies left vulnerable Elsewhere, American allies are reeling from the realization that the United States’ unambiguous commitment to protecting them might be wavering. — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Aug. 2026 Patrick said that those who work in the field have been left reeling. — Nicholas Riccardi, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 The flights, which DHS has warned will increase, pose a looming challenge for Haiti, which woke up on Monday reeling from another deadly gang massacre in the hills above Port-au-Prince. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026 Jose’s siblings are reeling from the shock slaying so close to home. — Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026 Season four finds Bertha and her husband, George, played by Morgan Spector, reeling with the fact that the problems that once came from outside their new-money mansion are increasingly coming from within it. — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 25 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for reeling

Adjective

The attendees were hip, all ages, and slightly giddy, ready to have whales blow their minds.

— Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Newcomers Álvarez and Knight couldn’t be better in their newlywed roles, convincing in their giddy love scenes, their casual affections, their unwanted suspicions and, most of all, their terror at whatever is lurking in the air and in their souls.

— Greg Evans, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of giddy

Verb

Conventional gas centrifuges use spinning mechanical rotors to push heavier atoms outward.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
And get ready for a scene that will hopefully not leave your head spinning the same way that the Earth spins on its axis.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of spinning

Verb

The works depicted broken figures staggering toward the viewer in ragged uniforms — in distorted sizes, giant hands and small heads.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
The works depicted broken figures staggering toward the viewer in ragged uniforms — in distorted sizes, giant hand and small heads.

— ABC News, ABC News, 1 May 2026

Definition of staggering

Adjective

Most patients feel dizzy, nauseated and weak within 30 to 60 minutes.

— Prayan Pokharel, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026
The incident comes just weeks after Richie was similarly forced to postpone two shows after becoming dizzy during a performance in Minnesota in June.

— Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of dizzy

Verb

The United States, which had been lurching toward entry in the Second World War, was suddenly and inescapably thrust into global conflict.

— Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026
Republicans see Democrats lurching to the left and embracing socialism as an opening to link their opponents to the far more radical communism.

— Garrett Downs, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of lurching

Browse Nearby Words

reeled off

reeling

reeling off

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Style

“Reeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reeling. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of reeling

adjective

verb

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