pinwheel

verb

Definition of pinwheelnext
as in to rotate
to move in circles around an axis or center the kayaker had got sucked into the whirlpool, and his kayak was pinwheeling helplessly

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 pinwheel Some of the outer rain bands and a few storms from Beta will pinwheel into the area from the east and southeast. — Dallas News, 20 Sep. 2020 Observations of pinwheeling galaxies suggested that scaffolds of invisible matter held their stars together, while a repulsive form of energy drove galaxies apart. — Quanta Magazine, 28 Jan. 2020 The man in the white vest pinwheeled his arms, ushering volunteers through the pick-up line outside the Salvation Army Community Center on Fourth Street with military precision. — Lizzie Johnson, SFChronicle.com, 25 Dec. 2019 According to the space agency, IC 2051 is a spiral galaxy, noticeable in its whirling, pinwheeling arms and a bar of stars cutting through its center. — Fox News, 23 Dec. 2019 See All Example Sentences for pinwheel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pinwheel
  1. rotate
  2. revolve
  3. spin
  4. twirl
Verb
  • The screen can tilt 20 degrees up or down, swivel right and left 15 degrees, and even rotate 90 degrees into portrait mode.
    — Joe Salas August 28, New Atlas, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Investor attention is currently shifting toward a growing divergence within technology equities, as market capital rotates away from mega-cap tech giants and into the AI infrastructure supply chain.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of rotate
Verb
  • And some events are fine to skip altogether, especially ones that revolve almost entirely around drinking.
    — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Even in the face of all that pressure, the shows — which debuted the tour’s four revolving setlists — were wildly successful, with tributes to Peart helping one of rock’s most cerebral bands hit new heights of emotional impact.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of revolve
Verb
  • The Martian atmosphere is thin, just 1 percent the density of air at sea level on Earth, so helicopters flying on Mars must spin their rotors faster than on Earth to generate lift.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The team's prior work had identified that during rpTDEs, supermassive black holes exert a torque on the passing star that causes the star to spin faster during each passage.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of spin
Verb
  • The pair were visibly emotional as Sulewski posed and twirled in the dress.
    — Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The last time these two met in Tuscaloosa was in 2024, when the Tide won 41-34 on Ryan Coleman-Williams 75-yard, twirling touchdown catch-and-run.
    — Justin Williams, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of twirl

Browse Nearby Words

pinup girls
pinwheel
pinwheeled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pinwheel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pinwheel. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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