twirl
Americanverb (used with object)
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twirls,
present (3rd person singular)
-
twirled,
past participle, past
-
twirling
present participle
-
to cause to rotate rapidly; spin; revolve; whirl.
-
to twiddle.
to twirl my thumbs.
-
to wind idly, as about something.
verb (used without object)
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twirls,
present (3rd person singular)
-
twirled,
past participle, past
-
twirling
present participle
-
to rotate rapidly; whirl.
-
to turn quickly so as to face or point in another direction.
noun
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twirls
plural
-
an act or instance of twirling; spin; whirl.
-
something convoluted or having a spiral shape; coil; curl; convolution.
verb
-
to move or cause to move around rapidly and repeatedly in a circle
-
(tr) to twist, wind, or twiddle, often idly
she twirled her hair around her finger
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(intr; often foll by around or about) to turn suddenly to face another way
she twirled around angrily to face him
noun
-
an act of rotating or being rotated; whirl or twist
-
something wound around or twirled; coil
-
a written flourish or squiggle
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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twirlsimple
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twirlssimple
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have twirledperfect
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has twirledperfect
-
am twirlingprogressive
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are twirlingprogressive
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is twirlingprogressive
-
have been twirlingperfect progressive
-
has been twirlingperfect progressive
Past
-
twirledsimple
-
had twirledperfect
-
was twirlingprogressive
-
were twirlingprogressive
-
had been twirlingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of twirl
Vocabulary lists containing twirl
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:
Dressed in sky blue kimonos emblazoned with flowers, the dancers twist and twirl in unison in front of hundreds of spectators eager to see the annual "Miyako Odori" in the nation's spectacular ancient capital.
From Barron's ● Apr. 3, 2026
Bounce with your hands in front of you as if you’re driving a car down a rocky street, or put your hand above your head and try for an elegant, ballerina-inspired twirl.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 22, 2026
These dancers—costumed by Camille Assaf in casual-cum-dressy ensembles primarily of blacks and grays—gambol, leap, twirl and scamper about the glossy, often scarlet-lit surface of set and lighting designer François-Pierre Couture’s raised stage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 9, 2026
He has requested a sold-out crowd to be in their seats ahead of kick-off to twirl the complimentary towels – a staple action for supporters in American sport.
From BBC ● Feb. 24, 2026
He straightened his tie and took his Phi Beta Kappa key from his vest pocket and began to twirl it on its lanyard, as he often did on such occasions.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
AI-generated product demonstrations, makeup applications and dress twirls are spreading on TikTok Shop, raising tensions among creators, brands and the platform itself.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
She’s wearing tight jeans, heels and a baggy Harvard hoodie and twirls the sweatshirt’s drawstrings in her fingers as she speaks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 18, 2025
Critics once dismissed Rajinikanth as a mere "Style King," known for his cigarette flicks, sunglass twirls, and punchy dialogues laced with wry humour.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2025
This season allows us to get to know more of them beyond a few quirks or twirls of the figurative mustache, although there’s a share of that.
From Salon ● Dec. 26, 2024
He twirls me out of his arms and brings me back, his green eyes smile as he looks into mine.
From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed
In one alleyway, a young man in traditional garb twirled in a dance for tourists.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
Glowing magenta, she twirled above what looked to be a rising river, a physical representation of the swirling, engulfing thoughts that anxiety can provoke as she performed the song by the same name.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
Dancing to drums in downtown Yangon, the crowd of nationalist activists and saffron-robed monks twirled miniature national flags and toted banners denying accusations of ethnic cleansing being levelled at The Hague.
From Barron's ● Jan. 27, 2026
Yoshinobu Yamamoto successfully lobbied the Dodgers to head down to the bullpen and begin warming up—even though he had twirled a complete game two days earlier.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2025
Someone in the family switched it on and twirled the dial to the evening’s entertainment.
From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow
Meanwhile, those at the back of the “Clubhouse” tier danced freely in yards of open space, twirling, to the dismay of the onlooking VIP crowd.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
On stage, there is a camaraderie between the musicians, who interact playfully with their frontman, twirling him around the stage, or parting ways to let him noodle around on a vintage synthesiser.
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026
Diners were ushered into a grand, circular room, served by waiters dressed in "hanfu", and treated to an eight-act performance involving twirling dancers and emotive dialogue from actors.
From Barron's ● Nov. 14, 2025
As the beat from Azealia Banks’ “212” thumps in the background, she bounces around her tiny New York bedroom, twirling like a chemically enhanced cool girl.
From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2025
“Oh, isn’t this luxurious!” she cried, twirling her fingers beneath the suds.
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
