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
2
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
Skip pricey upgrades like custom built-ins, whirlpool tubs, and home theaters that don’t add lasting value.
—Cori Sears, The Spruce, 11 Jan. 2026
The iceberg sat in the shallow water of the Weddell Sea in the Southern Ocean for more than 30 years before breaking free in 2020 and into an ocean whirlpool for several months.
—Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 10 Jan. 2026
Quickly drop eggs into center of whirlpool, and continue stirring to keep whites around yolks.
—Amanda Stanfield, Southern Living, 10 Jan. 2026
In a more complicated setup, gentle currents might merge into whirlpools and eddies.
—Quanta Magazine, 9 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Whirlpool.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whirlpool. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
Kids 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-
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