1. To stagger, spin, or feel mentally overwhelmed by a shock.
2. A cylindrical frame or spool around which thread, film, wire, or fishing line is wound.
3. A lively dance associated with Scottish and Irish traditions, or music for it.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- reel from a blow
- reel in disbelief
On the page
The community reeled from the sudden closure.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- reel
- Past tense
- reeled
- Past participle
- reeled
- Present participle
- reeling
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- reel
- Present continuous
- am/is/are reeling
- Present perfect
- have/has reeled
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been reeling
- Past
- reeled
- Past continuous
- was/were reeling
- Past perfect
- had reeled
- Past perfect continuous
- had been reeling
- Future
- will reel
- Future continuous
- will be reeling
- Future perfect
- will have reeled
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been reeling
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: reel; reels; reeled; reeled; reeling. Noun singular reel; plural reels.. Noun singular reel; plural reels. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: reels.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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