whirl

[ wurl, hwurl ]

/ wɜrl, ʰwɜrl /

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See synonyms for: whirl / whirled / whirling on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

to turn around, spin, or rotate rapidly: The merry-go-round whirled noisily.

to turn about or aside quickly: He whirled and faced his pursuers.

to move, travel, or be carried rapidly along: She whirled along the freeway in her new car.

to feel as though spinning rapidly; reel as from dizziness: My head began to whirl.

verb (used with object)

to cause to turn around, spin, or rotate rapidly.

to send, drive, or carry in a circular or curving course.

to drive, send, or carry along with great or dizzying rapidity.

Obsolete. to hurl.

noun

the act of whirling; rapid rotation or gyration.

a whirling movement; quick turn or swing.

a short drive, run, walk, or the like; spin.

something that whirls; a whirling current or mass.

a rapid round of events, affairs, etc.: a whirl of meetings, conferences, and business lunches.

a state marked by dizziness or a dizzying succession of feelings, thoughts, etc.

an attempt or trial, especially one undertaken tentatively or experimentally: Even if you don't agree with my plan, won't you give it a whirl?

Machinery. whip (def. 26).

OTHER WORDS FOR whirl

1 gyrate, pirouette.

5 revolve, twirl, wheel.

9 spin, revolution.

15 try, go, fling, whack.

See synonyms for whirl on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of whirl

1250–1300; Middle English whirlen<Old Norse hvirfla to whirl, akin to Old English hwyrflung turning, revolving, hwyrfel circuit; see whorl

OTHER WORDS FROM whirl

whirl·er, nounwhirl·ing·ly, adverbout·whirl, verb (used with object)un·whirled, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use whirl in a sentence

But Liberty is always dipping his shoulder, whirling around.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
They all play a part in this whirling, well oiled machine, helping bring The Macallan to life.
Ester Elchies, The Estate Built By Whiskey||December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But he was a whirling dervish of energy and could outwork his critics.
From The Square Deal to The New Deal: The Overlapping Political Identities of TR and FDR|John Avlon|September 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Back in July, a whirling household appliance caught her by the weave.
Ellen Sings ‘The Fox,’ Ride on an Eagle’s Wing & More Viral Videos|Julian E. Wright|September 21, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Cummings began whirling around with the blade, smashing a lamp.
Aaron Hernandez’s Terrifying Past|Michael Daly|July 22, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I do not know what I think; all my thoughts seem whirling round as leaves do in brooks in the time of the spring rains.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
At first I used to think the effect of so many people whirling round in the same direction dizzying and monotonous.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
Our poor planet will be but a silent ghost whirling on its dark path in the starlight.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
He saw the swans floating like bundles of dry paper, he saw the whirling sea-gulls, he obtained his former room.
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood
The keen wind found me out and seemed to take joy in rushing in on me in biting gusts and then whirling away over the flat.
The Soldier of the Valley|Nelson Lloyd

British Dictionary definitions for whirl

whirl

/ (wɜːl) /

verb

to spin, turn, or revolve or cause to spin, turn, or revolve

(intr) to turn around or away rapidly

(intr) to have a spinning sensation, as from dizziness, etc

to move or drive or be moved or driven at high speed

noun

the act or an instance of whirling; swift rotation or a rapid whirling movement

a condition of confusion or giddinessher accident left me in a whirl

a swift round, as of events, meetings, etc

a tumult; stir

informal a brief trip, dance, etc

give something a whirl informal to attempt or give a trial to something

Derived forms of whirl

whirler, nounwhirling, adjectivewhirlingly, adverb

Word Origin for whirl

C13: from Old Norse hvirfla to turn about; related to Old High German wirbil whirlwind

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with whirl

whirl

see give something a whirl.

whirl

OTHER WORDS FOR whirl

Origin of whirl

OTHER WORDS FROM whirl

Words related to whirl

How to use whirl in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for whirl

Derived forms of whirl

Word Origin for whirl

Other Idioms and Phrases with whirl