whirlpool

noun

ˈ(h)wər(-ə)l-ˌpül How to pronounce whirlpool (audio)
Definition of whirlpoolnext
as in vortex
water moving rapidly in a circle with a hollow in the center in The Odyssey, Ulysses is trapped between the six-headed monster Scylla and Charybdis, a deadly whirlpool that threatens to suck in his ship

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of whirlpool Any such reforms will be slow-moving, though, and America is foundering right now in a whirlpool of contested facts. — Adam Marcus, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2025 The polar vortex, a whirlpool of Arctic air typically perched atop the North Pole, dislodged and descended into the Midwest causing the bitter cold. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2025 The ever-growing power needs of blockchain, and now AI, are like an all-consuming vortex, where the demands spiral deeper and wider, pulling in more resources with each passing moment, much like a cosmic whirlpool. — Eric Solis, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025 Just like whitewater, winds can swirl like a whirlpool or crash down on top of an aircraft like a waterfall. — Thomas Fuller, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for whirlpool

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whirling
whirlpool
whirlpools
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Cite this Entry

“Whirlpool.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirlpool. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on whirlpool

Nglish: Translation of whirlpool for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about whirlpool

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