Definition of swirlnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
As progress at the artillery plant continued to stall, paranoia grew and rumors swirled among the American workers that the Turkish employees from Repkon might be purposefully sabotaging the machinery. ProPublica, 26 Aug. 2026 Reports have continued to swirl around who might next don the tuxedo of Ian Fleming’s beloved spy. Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 24 Aug. 2026
Noun
Add a pat of butter or squiggle of olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026 Pumpkin Patch Cloud Latte – pumpkin swirl and a vanilla flavor shot is mixed with espresso and whole milk, then topped with Sweet Cold Foam and a cinnamon sugar. Mike Snider, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for swirl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swirl
Verb
  • Every corner of the hotel holds something to evoke curiosity and stir inspiration.
    Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Roast 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once, till cauliflower and corn are tender and edges are browned, pear is soft.
    ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • After successful demonstration in ground and airborne trials, the company turned its attention to a GravNav, a system that senses changes in gravity fields.
    Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
  • There’s no better time to start turning your closet over for the season ahead.
    Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Over the years, culprits have ranged from El Niño and climate change to the World Trade Organization, rock ‘n’ roll music and the fluoridation of water.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Steven Tian and Stephen Henriques, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Getty My dad was a rock ‘n’ roll traveler then, in the way some are food travelers today.
    Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The screen can tilt 20 degrees up or down, swivel right and left 15 degrees, and even rotate 90 degrees into portrait mode.
    Joe Salas August 28, New Atlas, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Investor attention is currently shifting toward a growing divergence within technology equities, as market capital rotates away from mega-cap tech giants and into the AI infrastructure supply chain.
    , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • But on Tuesday, left-hander Eric Lauer returned to the rotation and coughed up seven runs in three innings.
    Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman made clear this week that Dunnigan is ready to help and will be in the rotation at safety.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The Martian atmosphere is thin, just 1 percent the density of air at sea level on Earth, so helicopters flying on Mars must spin their rotors faster than on Earth to generate lift.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The team's prior work had identified that during rpTDEs, supermassive black holes exert a torque on the passing star that causes the star to spin faster during each passage.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The drive traverses the Bear River Mountains (a northern branch of the Wasatch), passing aspen groves, limestone cliffs, and the whitewater eddies of the Logan River along the way.
    Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Tzikas pointed to the San Juan Rapids, Clay Banks and Sailor Bar areas as those with stronger currents and eddies that can throw individuals from their rafts and paddleboards or submerge them before shooting them rapidly downstream.
    Reeti Malhotra July 10, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
Verb
  • The pair were visibly emotional as Sulewski posed and twirled in the dress.
    Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The last time these two met in Tuscaloosa was in 2024, when the Tide won 41-34 on Ryan Coleman-Williams 75-yard, twirling touchdown catch-and-run.
    Justin Williams, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

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

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