reel

1 of 5

noun (1)

1
: a revolvable device on which something flexible is wound: such as
a
: a small windlass at the butt of a fishing rod for the line
b
chiefly British : a spool or bobbin for sewing thread
c
: a flanged spool for photographic film
especially : one for motion pictures
2
: a quantity of something wound on a reel

reel

2 of 5

verb (1)

reeled; reeling; reels

transitive verb

1
: to wind on or as if on a reel
2
: to draw by reeling a line
reel a fish in

intransitive verb

: to turn a reel
reelable adjective

reel

3 of 5

verb (2)

reeled; reeling; reels

intransitive verb

1
a
: to turn or move round and round
b
: to be in a whirl
2
: to behave in a violent disorderly manner
3
: to waver or fall back (as from a blow)
4
: to walk or move unsteadily

transitive verb

: to cause to reel

reel

4 of 5

noun (2)

: a reeling motion

reel

5 of 5

noun (3)

1
: a lively Scottish-Highland dance
also : the music for this dance
2

Examples of reel in a Sentence

Verb (2) his mind reeled upon hearing the news that his employer had been indicted for fraud got off the amusement park ride reeling and barely able to stand Noun (2) she slipped and, after an out-of-control reel, fell on her backside
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
With America reeling from the attacks, the essay sparked considerable controversy. Michael Malone, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2024 Ukraine’s largest private electricity company, DTEK, said in a statement that three thermal power plants had been hit, further straining Ukraine’s electricity generation capacity, which was already reeling from previous assaults. Constant Méheut, New York Times, 8 May 2024 When Pretty Little Liars: Summer School kicks off, the Liars are still reeling from their numerous near-death experiences. Samantha Highfill, EW.com, 8 May 2024 Boeing is still reeling following the crashes of two 737 Max aircraft which killed a total of 346 people in 2018 and 2019. Russell Lewis, NPR, 6 May 2024 Investing legend Warren Buffett is something of a white whale for Tesla fans—reeling him in as a stakeholder verges on a Captain Ahab–style obsession. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 6 May 2024 Jasmine Perillo, a creator who makes content about film and fashion, created an all-white outfit with pops of tennis ball green and posted it to her Instagram reel. Josh Feldman, NBC News, 28 Apr. 2024 This news comes as the nonfiction community is still reeling from the closure of another beloved financier-producer, Participant Media, amid a larger contraction in documentary efforts by legacy media companies and studios. Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 North Carolina's health insurance program for state employees is reeling from the cost and widespread use of these prescription drugs. Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 25 Apr. 2024
Noun
The commercial sector reels from a seismic shift in office space utilization while industrial demand surges, fueled by logistics and manufacturing resurgence. Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 10 May 2024 The reel contained a video of Justin singing, as well as a note to pray for Justin and Hailey. Sara Vallone, Miami Herald, 9 May 2024 Avid bass anglers often fish spinning reels with a braid-to-fluorocarbon leader. Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 9 May 2024 The podcaster shared a reel with all the fun, which included a boat ride, clear waters, blue skies, and plenty of cocktails. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 6 May 2024 Rian artfully creates reels, videos, and photographs that highlight his classmates and our Viking teams. Melanie Laughman, The Enquirer, 3 May 2024 Still, Tate grabbed their fishing rods, reels, tackle boxes and other equipment, before throwing the equipment into the woods and damaging them. Greg Wehner, Fox News, 2 May 2024 Newport Landing Whale Watching, the tour company that led the whale-watching excursion, shared a Facebook reel on Monday that showed the creature swimming with a pod of several other orcas. Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 1 May 2024 How many people from TikTok or Instagram reels are even making it as a stand-up comedian? Clayton Davis, Variety, 26 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English hrēol; akin to Old Norse hræll weaver's reed, Greek krekein to weave

Verb (2)

Middle English relen, probably from reel, noun

Noun (3)

probably from reel entry 4

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

1572, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

circa 1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reel was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near reel

Cite this Entry

“Reel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reel. Accessed 15 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

reel

1 of 5 noun
1
a
: a device that can be turned round and round and on which something flexible is wound
b
: a device which is set on the handle of a fishing pole and used for winding up or letting out the line
c
: a narrow spool with a rim used to guide photographic film or magnetic tape
2
: a quantity of something wound on a reel
3
: a frame for drying clothes

reel

2 of 5 verb
1
: to wind on or as if on a reel
2
: to pull (as a fish) by reeling a line
3
: to wind or turn a reel
reelable adjective
reeler noun

reel

3 of 5 verb
1
a
: to whirl around
reeling in a dance
b
: to be in a whirl
heads reeling with excitement
2
: to fall back (as from a blow)
3
: to walk or move unsteadily

reel

4 of 5 noun
: a reeling motion

reel

5 of 5 noun
: a lively dance originally of the Scottish Highlands
also : the music for this dance

More from Merriam-Webster on reel

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