whirled; whirling; whirls
1
: to move in a circle or similar curve especially with force or speed
2
3
: to pass, move, or go quickly
whirled down the hallway
4
: to become giddy or dizzy : reel
my head is whirling
1
: to drive, impel, or convey with or as if with a rotary motion
2
a
: to cause to turn usually rapidly on or around an axis : rotate
b
: to cause to turn abruptly around or aside
3
obsolete
: to throw or hurl violently with a revolving motion
1
a
: a rapid rotating or circling movement
b
: something undergoing such a movement
2
3
: an experimental or brief attempt : try
gave it a whirl
Synonyms
Examples of whirl in a Sentence
Verb
The cars were whirling around the track.
Clothes were whirling in the washing machine.
The water whirled around the drain.
Her dance partner whirled her around.
Noun
My head was in a whirl.
the whirl of the mechanical ride made him dizzy
Recent Examples on the Web
Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2024
Another soldier started having unexplained fits in which his internal sense of time would suddenly come unmoored, sending everything around him whirling in fast-forward.
—Dave Philipps, New York Times, 2 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for whirl 
Verb
Bob Kendrick, poetry in perpetual motion, whirled into Niecie’s Restaurant, paused at a table or three and glided into a booth.
—Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2024
Another soldier started having unexplained fits in which his internal sense of time would suddenly come unmoored, sending everything around him whirling in fast-forward.
—Dave Philipps, New York Times, 2 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for whirl
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whirl.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near whirl
Cite this Entry
“Whirl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whirl. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
whirl
1 of 2 verb
ˈhwər(-ə)l 
ˈwər(-ə)l
1
: to move or drive in a circle or curve especially with force or speed
cars whirling around the track
3
: to move or go quickly
whirled down the street
4
: to become dizzy : reel
my head is whirling
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