SPIRAL Synonyms: 62 Similar and Opposite Words

spiral 1 of 3

verb

Definition of spiral

as in to curl

to follow a circular or spiral course a narrow road spiraling up the mountain to the summit

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

straighten

spiral

2 of 3

adjective

ˈspī-rəl

as in winding

turning around an axis like the thread of a screw a spiral staircase takes visitors up into the Statue of Liberty

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

spiral

3 of 3

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 spiral

Verb

Soon afterward, the antagonism between Nusra and ISIS spiralled into open conflict. — Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 DraftKings says its responsible gaming system provides adequate safeguards to protect customers from spiraling out of control. — ProPublica, 6 Oct. 2026

Adjective

Similarly, snail shells almost always spiral in the same direction for every snail species. — Mallory Green, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026 At the start of this school year, Aya’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Naheda, asked for a spiral notebook. — Mosab Abu Toha, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2026

Noun

The 42 intricate episodes lining the walls of the Guggenheim’s rotunda follow the iconic winding path of the museum’s white spiral — a path not unlike the circuitous course of a life or a nation’s history. — Stephanie Wambugu, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026 Don't expect the enormous spiral shown in long-exposure photographs. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spiral

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiral

Verb

Diaby scored the winner on a nifty shot from outside the box, curling it into the top right corner of the net for his second goal in his eighth MLS match.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin, meanwhile, became the first American team to win a medal in Olympic mixed doubles curling, taking silver.

— Preston Fore, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of curl

Adjective

Every floor and room is dedicated to specific watch brands and timepieces, featuring bespoke details like watch-hand door handles and winding-crown faucet handles, all crafted by Florentine artisans.

— Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
As such, the show takes you on a winding journey of France’s influential craftsmanship and its impact on America via archival looks, dazzling objects, and more modern creations.

— Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 29 May 2026

Definition of winding

Noun

Solving a memory problem One particularly notable result concerns modular inversion, a mathematical operation used in elliptic-curve arithmetic.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
Sakurai is already ahead of the curve by leaning into the material’s brainless escapism.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of curve

Verb

Even after this week's Houthi attack on a Saudi Aramco facility, WTI is coiled in a tight triangle between falling resistance in the low 100s and rising support near 90.

— Todd Gordon, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
The song stays coiled, neither tightening its grip nor exploding into noise.

— Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of coil

Adjective

The building has a circular driveway, a 24-hour doorman, a fitness center, a rooftop terrace, valet service, bike storage, and an on-site parking garage.

— Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2026
As is typical with Porsches, there are five circular gauges on the dash, and the key is inserted on the left.

— Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of circular

Verb

Produced by Awesomeness Films, the movie then embarked on a winding journey to release after Viacom bought Awesomeness and eventually merged with CBS.

— Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
The estate’s outdoor spaces are equally inviting, with covered walkways winding through the picturesque grounds and connecting a deep oval swimming pool, an outdoor kitchen, and a bocce court.

— Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of wind

Adjective

After testing roughly 40 prototypes, Brown settled on the final design, featuring patent-pending semi-helical geometry.

— Preston Fore, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026
So what to us may look like a distinctive left-twisting helical structure is actually the result of these two layers of fibrils oriented in opposite directions.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of helical

Browse Nearby Words

spiny

spiral

spiraled

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Cite this Entry

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“Spiral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiral. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of spiral

verb

adjective

noun

Example Sentences

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