Spiral
noun
A shape or pattern that starts in the center and winds round and round away from the center.
The stairs in the tower are in a spiral shape.
Often appears as...
- spiral staircase
- spiral pattern
verb
To move in a spiral path, especially continuously round and round.
The smoke spiraled up into the sky.
Often appears as...
- spiraling upwards
- spiraling downwards
adjective
Having the form or outline of a spiral.
The plant has spiral leaves.
Often appears as...
- spiral staircase
- spiral pattern
noun
A continuous increase, decrease, or worsening.
The economy is in a downward spiral.
Often appears as...
- downward spiral
- upward spiral
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
A shape or pattern that starts in the center and winds round and round away from the center.
The stairs in the tower are in a spiral shape.
Often appears as...
- spiral staircase
- spiral pattern
verb
To move in a spiral path, especially continuously round and round.
The smoke spiraled up into the sky.
Often appears as...
- spiraling upwards
- spiraling downwards
adjective
Having the form or outline of a spiral.
The plant has spiral leaves.
Often appears as...
- spiral staircase
- spiral pattern
noun
A continuous increase, decrease, or worsening.
The economy is in a downward spiral.
Often appears as...
- downward spiral
- upward spiral
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/3Visual Pattern
Imagine the shape like swirls on cakes or snail shells to remember its pattern.
He drew a spiral in the sand, resembling a seashell.
Pro Tip 2/3Continuous Motion
A spiral implies movement: it either winds up or unwinds, but it's never static.
The kite moved in a spiral, dancing in the sky.
Pro Tip 3/3Symbolic Meaning
Spirals can symbolize growth, evolution, or the cyclic nature of life in literature and art.
The spiral patterns on the ancient pottery symbolized eternity.
Pro Tip 1/3Visual Pattern
Imagine the shape like swirls on cakes or snail shells to remember its pattern.
He drew a spiral in the sand, resembling a seashell.
Pro Tip 2/3Continuous Motion
A spiral implies movement: it either winds up or unwinds, but it's never static.
The kite moved in a spiral, dancing in the sky.
Pro Tip 3/3Symbolic Meaning
Spirals can symbolize growth, evolution, or the cyclic nature of life in literature and art.
The spiral patterns on the ancient pottery symbolized eternity.
Pro Tip 1/3Visual Pattern
Imagine the shape like swirls on cakes or snail shells to remember its pattern.
He drew a spiral in the sand, resembling a seashell.
Pro Tip 2/3Continuous Motion
A spiral implies movement: it either winds up or unwinds, but it's never static.
The kite moved in a spiral, dancing in the sky.
Pro Tip 3/3Symbolic Meaning
Spirals can symbolize growth, evolution, or the cyclic nature of life in literature and art.
The spiral patterns on the ancient pottery symbolized eternity.
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Video examples
The evolution of animal...
In some bed bug species, the females have evolved an entirely new set of genitalia on their right hand flanks where the males usually pierce them. That allows them to maintain the power to filter out unwanted sperm with their genitalia. And duck vaginas are shaped like a clockwise spiral
Video examples
Why doesn’t anything...
spiraling around the chain, and the bond between carbon and fluorine is incredibly tight. Like a couple that ignores everyone except each other, carbon and fluorine interact so strongly that the normal, intermolecular forces that help substances stick to each other don't stand a chance.
Video examples
How To Levitate PIPE The...
Is this working in a different way? So this is an acoustic vortex. So we fire these loudspeakers in a sequence, so we create a spiral of sound. And then the object gets caught like in the eye of a storm? Yeah, in the eye of the storm. Exactly. So this is pretty much on the world record.
Video examples
I grew up in the...
That we should be guided by that most basic fact, and approach one another with generosity and compassion. Each one of us contributes to the communities and the cultures and the societies that we make up. The end of this spiral of rage and blame begins with one person
Video examples
Great Pyramid Mystery...
you raise blocks all the way to the top of a four hundred and eighty foot pyramid we saw that there were real problems with either a single ramp or a spiral ramp and lifting cranes certainly don't do the job so how do you do it
Video examples
Making sense of...
measuring bright objects in the far distant universe this incredibly beautiful image of a galaxy with its dusty spiral arms and it's hazy central bulge which is made up of a composite of data from distant different telescopes
Video examples
Why tragedies are...
The story goes something like a royal, rich or righteous individual, who otherwise happens to be a lot like us, makes a mistake that sends his life, and the lives of those around him, spiraling into ruin. Sound familiar?
Video examples
How do your kidneys...
to secrete a hormone called renin that raises blood pressure, and another hormone called erythropoietin, which increases red blood cell production. Without the kidneys, our bodily fluids would spiral out of control.
Video examples
Hermit Crabs Use Litter...
So, they leave seashells near the rubbish piles to help the homeless crustaceans. The crab normally winds its body into the spiral of a shell. It's far harder to grip a straight and slippery can.
Video examples
The Tipping Point PIPE...
currently it is our ongoing emissions that are driving global temperatures up but if tipping points are crossed that could spiral beyond human control if we imagine a map of the world it
Video examples
The evolution of animal...
In some bed bug species, the females have evolved an entirely new set of genitalia on their right hand flanks where the males usually pierce them. That allows them to maintain the power to filter out unwanted sperm with their genitalia. And duck vaginas are shaped like a clockwise spiral
Video examples
Why doesn’t anything...
spiraling around the chain, and the bond between carbon and fluorine is incredibly tight. Like a couple that ignores everyone except each other, carbon and fluorine interact so strongly that the normal, intermolecular forces that help substances stick to each other don't stand a chance.
Video examples
How To Levitate PIPE The...
Is this working in a different way? So this is an acoustic vortex. So we fire these loudspeakers in a sequence, so we create a spiral of sound. And then the object gets caught like in the eye of a storm? Yeah, in the eye of the storm. Exactly. So this is pretty much on the world record.
Video examples
I grew up in the...
That we should be guided by that most basic fact, and approach one another with generosity and compassion. Each one of us contributes to the communities and the cultures and the societies that we make up. The end of this spiral of rage and blame begins with one person
Video examples
Great Pyramid Mystery...
you raise blocks all the way to the top of a four hundred and eighty foot pyramid we saw that there were real problems with either a single ramp or a spiral ramp and lifting cranes certainly don't do the job so how do you do it
Video examples
Making sense of...
measuring bright objects in the far distant universe this incredibly beautiful image of a galaxy with its dusty spiral arms and it's hazy central bulge which is made up of a composite of data from distant different telescopes
Video examples
Why tragedies are...
The story goes something like a royal, rich or righteous individual, who otherwise happens to be a lot like us, makes a mistake that sends his life, and the lives of those around him, spiraling into ruin. Sound familiar?
Video examples
How do your kidneys...
to secrete a hormone called renin that raises blood pressure, and another hormone called erythropoietin, which increases red blood cell production. Without the kidneys, our bodily fluids would spiral out of control.
Video examples
Hermit Crabs Use Litter...
So, they leave seashells near the rubbish piles to help the homeless crustaceans. The crab normally winds its body into the spiral of a shell. It's far harder to grip a straight and slippery can.
Video examples
The Tipping Point PIPE...
currently it is our ongoing emissions that are driving global temperatures up but if tipping points are crossed that could spiral beyond human control if we imagine a map of the world it
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Jacky Rosen
American Politician
Our efforts in Congress should focus on what we can agree on: investing in the success of local entrepreneurs to create jobs, helping hard-working families get ahead and reducing our spiraling debt.
Quote examples
Torrey DeVitto
American Actress
For me, calling my mom really helps soothe me when I'm spiraling. Having someone to talk to, whether it's a therapist, your brother, or a friend, can be such a positive thing.
Quote examples
Petra Nemcova
Czechoslovakian Model
If we focus on the minuses, we go down the spiral. But if we are able to focus on the pluses, we can become stronger and put more meaning into our life.
Quote examples
Maynard James Keenan
American Singer
A circle is the reflection of eternity. It has no beginning and it has no end - and if you put several circles over each other, then you get a spiral.
Quote examples
Gwyneth Paltrow
American Actress
Could I use some butter and cheese and eggs in my cooking without going down some kind of hippie shame spiral? Yes. Of course I could.
Quote examples
Jack Canfield
American Author
Greater self-esteem produces greater success, and greater success produces more high self-esteem, so it keeps on spiraling up.
Quote examples
Mary J. Blige
American Musician
When you come from so many damaged places you don't ever want to spiral back there, so you gotta continue to check yourself.
Quote examples
Patrick Stewart
English Actor
Last Wednesday, I stupidly dropped my iPhone in the bath, and my life has sort of spiraled almost out of control.
Quote examples
John Hartford
American Musician
The whole universe is based on rhythms. Everything happens in circles, in spirals.
Quote examples
Katrina Adams
American Athlete
I was throwing a spiral football at 6.
Quote examples
Jacky Rosen
American Politician
Our efforts in Congress should focus on what we can agree on: investing in the success of local entrepreneurs to create jobs, helping hard-working families get ahead and reducing our spiraling debt.
Quote examples
Torrey DeVitto
American Actress
For me, calling my mom really helps soothe me when I'm spiraling. Having someone to talk to, whether it's a therapist, your brother, or a friend, can be such a positive thing.
Quote examples
Petra Nemcova
Czechoslovakian Model
If we focus on the minuses, we go down the spiral. But if we are able to focus on the pluses, we can become stronger and put more meaning into our life.
Quote examples
Maynard James Keenan
American Singer
A circle is the reflection of eternity. It has no beginning and it has no end - and if you put several circles over each other, then you get a spiral.
Quote examples
Gwyneth Paltrow
American Actress
Could I use some butter and cheese and eggs in my cooking without going down some kind of hippie shame spiral? Yes. Of course I could.
Quote examples
Jack Canfield
American Author
Greater self-esteem produces greater success, and greater success produces more high self-esteem, so it keeps on spiraling up.
Quote examples
Mary J. Blige
American Musician
When you come from so many damaged places you don't ever want to spiral back there, so you gotta continue to check yourself.
Quote examples
Patrick Stewart
English Actor
Last Wednesday, I stupidly dropped my iPhone in the bath, and my life has sort of spiraled almost out of control.
Quote examples
John Hartford
American Musician
The whole universe is based on rhythms. Everything happens in circles, in spirals.
Quote examples
Katrina Adams
American Athlete
I was throwing a spiral football at 6.
Example 1 of 10
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