verb

whirl

wurl

Whirl (verb) means to spin or turn around quickly. Example: “The dancers whirled across the floor to the music.”

verb

To spin or turn around quickly.

"The dancers whirled across the floor to the music."

"Leaves whirled around in the autumn wind."

noun

A rapid spinning motion, or a confused, busy flurry of activity.

"Her mind was a whirl of anxious thoughts before the interview."

"The city was a whirl of noise and colour during the festival."

How to use whirl

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo spin quickly, or a state of rapid, confusing activity.

Common pairings

a whirl of activity give it a whirl whirl around

Word forms

whirled past tense, whirls plural, whirls singular

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The dancers _____ across the floor to the music.

Etymology

From Middle English whirlen, related to Old English hweorfan, "to turn" — the same root that eventually gave English the word "wharf".

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

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go offer pass crack spin twist reel eddy vortex twisting tumble fling

Related words

like go come give stop leave break offer

Rhymes for whirl

IRL girl Shirl twirl swirl

See all rhymes for whirl →

Frequently asked questions

What does “whirl” mean?

The word “whirl” means to spin or turn around quickly. In plain terms, to spin quickly, or a state of rapid, confusing activity.

How do you pronounce “whirl”?

“Whirl” is pronounced wurl (/(h)wɝl/ in IPA).

How do you use “whirl” in a sentence?

Here is “whirl” used in a sentence: “The dancers whirled across the floor to the music.”

What part of speech is “whirl”?

Depending on how it is used, “whirl” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “whirl” come from?

The word “whirl” comes from Old English. From Middle English whirlen, related to Old English hweorfan, "to turn" — the same root that eventually gave English the word "wharf".

How many meanings does “whirl” have?

“Whirl” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to spin or turn around quickly.

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