whirling
gb/wˈɚlɪŋ/ us/wˈɚlɪŋ/
B2
Anglais
~ 8000
Sens
0 sens
adjective
B2
action
1
spinning quickly in circles
Moving or turning very fast in a circle.
Schéma d’usage :
a whirling [object]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use "whirling" for straight, fast movement (e.g., *a whirling car on the highway*). "Whirling" should describe circular or spinning movement; for fast, straight movement, words like "racing" or "speeding" are better.
Synonymes
spinning (More general and common; does not always suggest very fast or dramatic movement.)
Antonymes
still (Describes something not moving at all, the opposite of whirling motion.)
Collocations
whirling blades
|whirling snow
|whirling wind
|whirling dust
|whirling motion
|whirling dancers
Thèmes
movement
|nature
|physics
|space
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The whirling blades of the helicopter chopped through the air.
- We watched the whirling snow outside the window during the storm.
- A cloud of whirling dust rose behind the speeding car.
- Colorful skirts flew out around the whirling dancers.
- The whirling fan cooled the small, crowded room.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The whirling fan makes the room feel cool.
- We saw whirling leaves in the strong wind.
- The child stared at the whirling wheels of the train.
- The whirling toy made the baby laugh.
- Whirling smoke rose from the fire.
adjective
C1
state
2
rapid, confusing mental activity
Having many thoughts or feelings moving very fast in your mind, so you feel confused or stressed.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone]'s whirling [thoughts/feelings]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes think "whirling" here means physically dizzy. In this sense, it describes fast, confusing mental or emotional activity, not the body moving.
Synonymes
overwhelmed (Focuses more on the feeling of being unable to cope, not on the fast, spinning quality of thoughts.)
Antonymes
calm (Describes a quiet, steady mental or emotional state, the opposite of whirling thoughts or feelings.)
Collocations
whirling thoughts
|whirling emotions
|a whirling mind
|whirling ideas
Thèmes
emotions
|psychology
|health
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- She sat in silence, her mind whirling with questions.
- His whirling thoughts kept him awake long into the night.
- With so many options, my head was whirling and I couldn’t decide.
- He tried to focus on his work, but whirling worries kept distracting him.
- After the accident, a whirling mix of fear and relief ran through him.
Exemples pédagogiques
- My mind is whirling after the exam.
- Her whirling thoughts make it hard to sleep.
- The news left him with whirling feelings.
- So many problems came at once that his head was whirling.
- I sat quietly to slow my whirling mind.
Nom
literary
C1
event
3
the act of spinning quickly
The action of moving or turning very fast in a circle.
Schéma d’usage :
the whirling of [something]
Synonymes
spinning (More common and less literary; often used in both everyday and technical contexts.)
Antonymes
stillness (Emphasizes the complete absence of movement, contrasting with ongoing whirling.)
Collocations
the whirling of the blades
|constant whirling
|sudden whirling
|the whirling of dancers
Thèmes
movement
|description
|space
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The constant whirling of the engine made a low humming sound.
- From above, the whirling of the carnival ride looked almost hypnotic.
- The sudden whirling of the birds startled the quiet park.
- He watched the whirling of the dancers, lost in the music.
- The loud whirling of the fans filled the small workshop.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The whirling of the fan helps me sleep.
- We heard the whirling of the helicopter above us.
- The whirling of the toy made the baby smile.
- The whirling of leaves filled the yard in autumn.
- The whirling of the wheels was very loud.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
whirling
API
GB/wˈɚlɪŋ/
US/wˈɚlɪŋ/
Syllabes et accentuation
whirl - ing (2 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (whirl)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: whirling
- Comparative: whirlinger
- Superlative: whirlingest
Noun
- Base: whirling
- Plural: whirlings
Famille de mots
Expressions
whirling dervish
1/wˈɚlɪŋ dˈɚvɪʃ/
idiom
a very energetic, busy person
A person who moves around very fast and does many things with a lot of energy.
Exemples
- She rushed from room to room like a whirling dervish, cleaning before the guests arrived.
- The toddler was a little whirling dervish, running and jumping all afternoon.