whirlpool

noun
UK: /ˈwɜːlpuːl/
US: /ˈwɜːrlpuːl/

  1. A dangerous circular movement of water.

    1. The boat was sucked into the whirlpool quickly.
    2. The strong current created a powerful whirlpool near the rocks, posing a threat to swimmers.

  2. A situation or state of affairs that is very confusing, dangerous, or difficult to escape from.

    1. He was in a whirlpool of debt.
    2. The company found itself in a whirlpool of legal troubles after the scandal broke out.

Synonyms

vortex eddy maelstrom
whirlpool intransitive-verb

  1. To be drawn into a situation or state of affairs that is very confusing, dangerous, or difficult to escape from.

    1. The ship began to whirlpool.
    2. The project threatened to whirlpool into chaos without strong leadership.

  2. To move in a circular direction like a whirlpool.

    1. The water began to whirlpool.
    2. Leaves started to whirlpool around the yard due to the wind.
whirlpool transitive-verb

  1. To cause to move in a circular direction like a whirlpool.

    1. The pump whirlpools the water.
    2. The powerful engine whirlpools the mixture of fuel and air before combustion.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "whirlpool" in English means: A dangerous circular movement of water., A situation or state of affairs that is very confusing, dangerous, or difficult to escape from..

The phonetic transcription of "whirlpool" is /ˈwɜːlpuːl/ in British English and /ˈwɜːrlpuːl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "whirlpool": vortex, eddy, maelstrom.

Example usage of "whirlpool": "The boat was sucked into the whirlpool quickly.". More examples on the page.