whirlpool
noun
whirl·pool
ˈ(h)wər(-ə)l-ˌpül 
1
a
: a confused tumult and bustle : whirl
b
: a magnetic or impelling force by which something may be engulfed
refusing to be drawn into this whirlpool of intrigue—
A. D. White
A. D. White2
b
Examples of whirlpool in a Sentence
The swimmer was caught in a whirlpool and nearly drowned.
in The Odyssey, Ulysses is trapped between the six-headed monster Scylla and Charybdis, a deadly whirlpool that threatens to suck in his ship
Recent Examples on the Web
North Country Outdoor Adventures, for example, runs nighttime ice-fishing tours near the city of Whitehorse that combine angling with night-sky viewing, while the new Yukon Spa in Dawson City has a rooftop barrel sauna and a whirlpool from which guests can admire the lights.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 8 May 2025
That includes inspecting ships’ dining rooms, galleys, potable water systems, swimming pools, whirlpools, child activity centers and more; investigating outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness; and reviewing ship designs.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2025
Those include Royal Caribbean International’s Solarium – featuring whirlpools, lounge space and more – and Carnival Cruise Line’s Serenity Adult-Only Retreat.
—Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 2 Dec. 2024
In contrast, United has been a whirlpool, sucking in talent, ruining it and spitting it out at great cost.
—Andy Mitten, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whirlpool
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 8 May 2025
That includes inspecting ships’ dining rooms, galleys, potable water systems, swimming pools, whirlpools, child activity centers and more; investigating outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness; and reviewing ship designs.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2025
Those include Royal Caribbean International’s Solarium – featuring whirlpools, lounge space and more – and Carnival Cruise Line’s Serenity Adult-Only Retreat.
—Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 2 Dec. 2024
In contrast, United has been a whirlpool, sucking in talent, ruining it and spitting it out at great cost.
—Andy Mitten, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whirlpool
Cite this Entry
“Whirlpool.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whirlpool. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
whirlpool
noun
whirl·pool
ˈhwər(-ə)l-ˌpül
ˈwər(-ə)l-
1
: water moving rapidly in a circle with a hollow in the center into which floating objects are drawn : eddy
2
Medical Definition
whirlpool
noun
whirl·pool
ˈhwər(-ə)l-ˌpül, ˈwər(-ə)l-
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share