as in to curl
to follow a circular or spiral course
a narrow road spiraling up the mountain to the summit
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in winding
turning around an axis like the thread of a screw
a spiral staircase takes visitors up into the Statue of Liberty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spiral
Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 3 Apr. 2025
The awkward exchange quickly went viral, and ultimately spiraled into a disaster.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2025
Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 28 Mar. 2025
This is the wrong time of the year to let something spiral.
—Danny Emerman, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
Bestreviews, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
Strange forms poured out of her—big looping flowers, organic spirals, cubes of contrasting primary colors.
—Jay Cheshes, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiral
Verb
Farfetch also fell victim to certain events beyond its control including Russian sanctions, China’s long road out of lockdown, and spiraling inflation and interest rates.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 3 Apr. 2025
The awkward exchange quickly went viral, and ultimately spiraled into a disaster.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
The spiral galaxy being wrapped or lensed around the elliptical galaxy appears to be stretched and warped into a ring, with bright blue lines drawn through it where the spiral arms have been stretched into circles.
—Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 28 Mar. 2025
This is the wrong time of the year to let something spiral.
—Danny Emerman, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
Noun
This milk frother wand has a 13,000 rpm motor and 25 spiral rings for whisking milk into a creamy microfoam.
—Bestreviews, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
Strange forms poured out of her—big looping flowers, organic spirals, cubes of contrasting primary colors.
—Jay Cheshes, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiral
Verb
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While some can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and concerns, many are created with specific consumers and their needs in mind.—
Jailynn Taylor,
Allure,
5 Apr. 2025
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Denmark’s Anders Dreyer, the team’s goal leader with three, curled a free kick into the box.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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All 128 overwater bungalows are connected by a long, winding boardwalk.—
Jess Feldman,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Mar. 2025
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Samia only needs the smallest thread to unravel winding truths about everything from womanhood and heartbreak to road trips and songwriting.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
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All that said, a clear data strategy has become necessary for companies to stay ahead of the curve and offers a unique competitive advantage in today's market.—
Ryan Masiello,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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The galaxy's rotation curve, an important characteristic of spiral galaxies, shows a pattern typical of flat rotation curves seen in mature galaxies.—
Larissa G. Capella,
Space.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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How to clean air fryer coils Cleaning the air fryer basket and rack is only part of the job.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2025
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Males pour by the thousands from the depths of the limestone caverns, coiling over rocks and one another in a slow-motion frenzy of courtship.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The polar vortex is a gigantic, circular area of cold air high up in the atmosphere that typically spins over the North Pole (as its name suggests).—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2025
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Speaking of which, there's a typical circular instrument dial in the center surrounded by a 12-V power plug.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The curves and whorls of the 3,000-pound bronze monument evoke billowing sails, crashing waves, and, more abstractly, two hands reaching toward each other.—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside Online,
25 Mar. 2025
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The areas had large pieces of Middle and Late Iron Age pottery, as well as other cooking vessels and a spindle whorl.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2025
Verb
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For a man with his name up in lights this often, much of Merino’s winding path to cult hero at the age of 28 — via stints at Osasuna, Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle United and, most notably, Real Sociedad — has remained in the dark.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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The winding two-lane road is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The twirling, helical streamer was spotted by Solar Orbiter on Oct. 12, 2022.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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This is a relatively short, straight section of intestine with a helical (corkscrew-like) structure inside.—
Ben Coxworth,
New Atlas,
25 Sep. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Spiral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiral. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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