MEANING
1. To spin rapidly around an axis or make something rotate in that way.
2. To move quickly with a sweeping or circling motion, often changing direction suddenly.
Use it for
Show a rapid spin or sudden sweeping turn.Adds speed and direction to a movement beat, especially when a character reacts suddenly.
Words that belong together
- whirl in a circle
- whirl around
- whirl past
- whirl away
- whirl toward a sound
On the page
The dancer whirled beneath the torn banners, skirt lifting in a dark ring.
She whirled toward the sound before the second knock came.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Word forms
- Base
- whirl
- Past tense
- whirled
- Past participle
- whirled
- Present participle
- whirling
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- whirl
- Present continuous
- am/is/are whirling
- Present perfect
- have/has whirled
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been whirling
- Past
- whirled
- Past continuous
- was/were whirling
- Past perfect
- had whirled
- Past perfect continuous
- had been whirling
- Future
- will whirl
- Future continuous
- will be whirling
- Future perfect
- will have whirled
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been whirling
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
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Usage notes
Can describe rotation, a rapid bodily turn, or a sweeping movement; context identifies whether something spins in place or travels. Sense 2: The movement sense can be a rapid turn of the body or a fast, sweeping motion through space.
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