Synonyms for swirl

Most common

whirl · twirl · twiddle · eddy · whirlpool

Synonyms by meaning

Verb

Noun

Definitions

1. v. 1

   To twist or whirl, as an eddy.

   I swirled my brush around in the paint.

2. v. 2

   To be arranged in a twist, spiral or whorl.

3. n. 1

   Synonym of pinwheel (“food product with spiral layers”).

   I'm baking some cheese swirls.

4. n. 2

   A whirling eddy.

Forms

Plural

swirls → pinwheels, rolls, roll-ups, vortexes…

Past participle

swirled
e.g. swirled → whirled, twirled, turned, twiddled…

Example sentences

• whirl The whirl uprooted trees and tore roofs from homes, Dykema said.
• twirl Twirl around and let me see you.
• twiddle Don't stand around and twiddle your thumbs; help me!
• eddy An eddy is a circular current of water.
• whirlpool The boat fell into a whirlpool and overturned.

Popularity over time

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

4 letters

turn¹, roll¹, eddy², purl

5 letters

whirl¹, twirl¹

6 letters

spiral², vortex²

7 letters

twiddle²

8 letters

pinwheel

9 letters

dizziness³, whirlpool²

11 letters

convolution⁴

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (eddy² = 2 syllables).