spin
Americanverb (used with object)
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to make (yarn) by drawing out, twisting, and winding fibers.
Pioneer women spun yarn on spinning wheels.
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to form (the fibers of any material) into thread or yarn.
The machine spins nylon thread.
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(of spiders, silkworms, etc.) to produce (a thread, cobweb, gossamer, silk, etc.) by extruding from the body a long, slender filament of a natural viscous matter that hardens in the air.
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to cause to turn around rapidly, as on an axis; twirl; whirl.
to spin a coin on a table.
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Informal. to play (phonograph records).
a job spinning records on a radio show.
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Metalworking. to shape (sheet metal) into a hollow, rounded form by pressure from a tool while rotating the metal on a lathe or wheel.
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to produce, fabricate, or evolve in a manner suggestive of spinning thread.
to spin a tale of sailing ships and bygone days.
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Rocketry. to cause intentionally (a rocket or guided missile) to undergo a roll.
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to draw out, protract, or prolong (often followed byout ).
He spun the project out for over three years.
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British. to flunk a student in an examination or a term's work.
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Slang. to cause to have a particular bias; influence in a certain direction.
His assignment was to spin the reporters after the president's speech.
verb (used without object)
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to revolve or rotate rapidly, as the earth or a top.
- Synonyms:
- gyrate
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to produce a thread from the body, as spiders or silkworms.
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to produce yarn or thread by spinning.
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to move, go, run, ride, or travel rapidly.
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to have a sensation of whirling; reel.
My head began to spin and I fainted.
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to fish with a spinning or revolving bait.
noun
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the act of causing a spinning or whirling motion.
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a spinning motion given to a ball, wheel, axle, or other object.
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a downward movement or trend, especially one that is sudden, alarming, etc..
Steel prices went into a spin.
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a rapid run, ride, drive, or the like, as for exercise or enjoyment.
They went for a spin in the car.
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Slang. a particular viewpoint or bias, especially in the media; slant.
They tried to put a favorable spin on the news coverage of the controversial speech.
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Also called tail spin. Also called tailspin. Aeronautics. a maneuver in which an airplane descends in a vertical direction along a helical path of large pitch and small radius at an angle of attack greater than the critical angle, dangerous when not done intentionally or under control.
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Rocketry.
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the act of intentionally causing a rocket or guided missile to undergo a roll.
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a roll so caused.
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Also called spin angular momentum. Physics. the intrinsic angular momentum characterizing each kind of elementary particle, having one of the values 0, 1/2, 1/3, … when measured in units of Planck's constant divided by 2π.
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Australian. a run of luck; fate.
verb phrase
idioms
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spin one's wheels. wheel.
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spin out, (of an automobile) to undergo a spinout.
verb
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to rotate or cause to rotate rapidly, as on an axis
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to draw out and twist (natural fibres, as of silk or cotton) into a long continuous thread
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to make such a thread or filament from (synthetic resins, etc), usually by forcing through a nozzle
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(of spiders, silkworms, etc) to form (webs, cocoons, etc) from a silky fibre exuded from the body
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(tr) to shape (metal) into a rounded form on a lathe
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informal (tr) to tell (a tale, story, etc) by drawing it out at great length (esp in the phrase spin a yarn )
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to bowl, pitch, hit, or kick (a ball) so that it rotates in the air and changes direction or speed on bouncing, or (of a ball) to be projected in this way
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(intr) (of wheels) to revolve rapidly without causing propulsion
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to cause (an aircraft) to dive in a spiral descent or (of an aircraft) to dive in a spiral descent
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to drive or travel swiftly
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Also: spin-dry. (tr) to rotate (clothes) in a washing machine in order to extract surplus water
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(intr) to reel or grow dizzy, as from turning around
my head is spinning
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(intr) to fish by drawing a revolving lure through the water
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informal (intr) to present news or information in a way that creates a favourable impression
noun
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a swift rotating motion; instance of spinning
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physics
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the intrinsic angular momentum of an elementary particle or atomic nucleus, as distinguished from any angular momentum resulting from its motion
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S. s. a quantum number determining values of this angular momentum in units of the Dirac constant, having integral or half-integral values
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a condition of loss of control of an aircraft or an intentional flight manoeuvre in which the aircraft performs a continuous spiral descent because the angle of maximum lift is less than the angle of incidence
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a spinning motion imparted to a ball, etc
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(in skating) any of various movements involving spinning rapidly on the spot
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informal a short or fast drive, ride, etc, esp in a car, for pleasure
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informal a state of agitation or confusion
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informal a period of time or an experience; chance or luck; fortune
a bad spin
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informal commerce a sudden downward trend in prices, values, etc
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informal the practice of presenting news or information in a way that creates a favourable impression
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informal one after another
they have lost two finals on the spin
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The intrinsic angular momentum of a rigid body or particle, especially a subatomic particle.
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Also called spin angular momentum
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The total angular momentum of a physical system, such as an electron orbital or an atomic nucleus.
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A quantum number expressing spin angular momentum; the actual angular momentum is a quantum number multiplied by Dirac's constant. Fermions have spin values that are integer multiples of 1/2, while bosons have spin values that are integer multiples of 1.
Synonym Usage
See turn.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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spinsimple
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spinssimple
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have spanperfect
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have spunperfect
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has spanperfect
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has spunperfect
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am spinningprogressive
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are spinningprogressive
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is spinningprogressive
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have been spinningperfect progressive
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has been spinningperfect progressive
Past
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spansimple
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spunsimple
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had spanperfect
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had spunperfect
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was spinningprogressive
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were spinningprogressive
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had been spinningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of spin
First recorded before 900; Middle English spinnen “to spin yarn,” Old English spinnan; cognate with Dutch, German spinnen, Old Norse spinna, Gothic spinnan
Explanation
When you spin, you whirl around in a circle. Many kids love to spin on a merry-go-round. You can spin in a happy circle, and you can describe this movement as a spin. Another way to use the word spin is for a deliberate twisting of information, especially when it's done by politicians. A candidate might spin a news report to make herself look more appealing, for example, or spin bad news to make it appear good. This meaning of spin is relatively new, not being used much until the mid-1980's.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The important benchmark comes as Comcast prepares to spin off NBCUniversal entertainment and news media businesses into a separate company.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
In a standard triple-wash system, cut lettuce moves through a series of flumes filled with treated water before spin drying.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
One of the things that has given Webb strength since her son's death is remembering the "positive spin" Jeremy put on life.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
At least Samantha Morton’s body-horror spin on the witch Circe is terrific.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
The pixies had taken it all the last time I tried to spin.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
The author spins a stylish kind of strangeness, however.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
In ferromagnets, neighboring electron spins point in the same direction, creating an external magnetic field.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 23, 2026
"With future instruments and larger telescopes, we'll be able to measure spins for even more worlds and connect rotation, chemistry, and formation history across entire planetary systems."
From Science Daily ● Jun. 13, 2026
Shot at the 2001 festival, the elaborate robbery sequence features red-carpet excitement as it spins the picture’s twisty plot into motion.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026
My brain feels like a carousel, spinning around and around and bobbing up and down, and the longer it spins, the harder it becomes to sleep.
From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish
And then, in the span of just a few hours on July 25, 2024, his empire came crashing down.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
"We were watching our rent double or triple in the span of a year or two," he says.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
Subsequent research has connected it to improved insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular protection, longer life span, and the preservation of cognitive function.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 18, 2026
He arrived in Chicago this season as the ultimate nomad, an anonymous journeyman joining his fourth MLB organization in the span of a little more than three years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
In the span of a few days, Pong had become exactly what the Governor said he was.
From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat
Spain's government has declared a national emergency after blazes spun out of control in several areas close to Madrid, prompting the evacuation of at least 30,000 people.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
He eventually spun this persona out for his political ambitions.
From Slate ● Jul. 23, 2026
“Hamilton” looms large as an influence in this show spun from a lesser known chapter of American history — the story of the Underground Railroad that led south to Mexico.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
Kenvue was spun off from Johnson & Johnson, which had sold Tylenol for decades, in 2023.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
I spun around to find out who she was so all-fired happy to see.
From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney
As we go through each document, my head is spinning.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
The epidemic now appears to be spinning out of control.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
As a result, the electromagnetic waves effectively experienced the system as though it were spinning at extraordinary speed.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026
With spinning, weaving, dyeing and knitting facilities -- the Glo-Djigbe site exported its first garments in 2024 for the French retailer Kiabi, followed by other international brands such as US Polo.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
“You want me to peer into that spinning blue light?” he asked.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
