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
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an act or instance of twirling; spin; whirl.
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something convoluted or having a spiral shape; coil; curl; convolution.
verb
-
to move or cause to move around rapidly and repeatedly in a circle
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(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
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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:
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
And he has asked the crowd to be in their seats ahead of kick-off to twirl complimentary towels -- a common sight among fans in American sports.
From Barron's ● Feb. 24, 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
I half expected a Snidely Whiplash twirl of the mustache or a Bertram Oleander sidewise glance and sneer.
From Salon ● Jan. 16, 2026
As we walk, snowflakes twirl like ballerinas and land on the ground, creating a soft pillow to walk on.
From "Betty Before X" by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson
He twirls his glasses in his hand as he speaks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2026
A bespectacled researcher who often twirls his curly hair, Amodei authors lengthy documents philosophizing about the importance of AI safety and is known for his deliberate approach to problem solving.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 3, 2026
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
Zola twirls one of her ribbons in her hands.
From "The Unfinished Angel" by Sharon Creech
She is friends with Greek pop star Konstantinos Argiros, who at a recent concert spotted her in the crowd chatting with Marafatsos and twirled her around to one of his hit songs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
“This is so freakin’ fun!” he cried out, while a nearby woman twirled in her long, floral summer dress.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
Rashid had Seifert stumped before Brook twirled through his tweakers - Ahmed having Rachin Ravindra caught mid-wicket in the 12th over.
From BBC ● Feb. 27, 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
She twirled her finger, gesturing that I should turn around.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
This all-new incarnation of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders was unlike anything professional sports had seen: an elite troupe of hyperproficient showgirls with pompoms, virtuosically twirling and leg-kicking their way through choreographed routines.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
Automated conveyor belts shuttle boxes of wine along to a massive pallet wrapper, like a giant cling film dispenser twirling the pallets around ready for shipment.
From BBC ● May 18, 2026
Swansea co-owner Snoop Dogg wants fans to serenade him by twirling towels when he visits the Welsh football club for the first time.
From Barron's ● Feb. 24, 2026
The physical act of twirling noodles while discussing something as monumental as coming out diffuses the tension just enough for honesty to survive.
From Salon ● Feb. 15, 2026
Steam snuck out in twirling swirls from the closed white boxes.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
