# swirl

> English word · Verb · IPA /swɜːl/ · frequency rank #23,695

## Definitions
1. To twist or whirl, as an eddy.
2. To be arranged in a twist, spiral or whorl.
3. To circulate.
4. To mingle interracially.

## Etymology
From Middle English swirlen (“to eddy, swirl”), probably from Old Norse *svirla (“to swirl”), a frequentative form of Old Norse sverra (“to swing, twirl”). Cognate with Scots swirl, sworl (“to eddy, swirl”), Norwegian Nynorsk svirla (“to whirl around; swirl”), Swedish sorla (“to murmur, buzz”), Dutch zwirrelen (“to swirl”). Compare also West Frisian swiere (“to reel, whirl”), Dutch zwieren (“to reel, swing around”), German Low German swirren (“to whizz, whirl or buzz around”), German schwirren (“to whirr, whizz, buzz”), Swedish svirra (“to whirr about, buzz, hum”), Danish svirre (“to whizz, whirr”). Related to English swarm.

## Easily confused with
- **sword** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swirl-vs-sword)
- **Swiss** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swirl-vs-swiss)
- **sworn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swirl-vs-sworn)
- **swore** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swirl-vs-swore)
- **swish** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swirl-vs-swish)
- **swivel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swirl-vs-swivel)
- **sir** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sir-vs-swirl)
- **sil** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sil-vs-swirl)
- **soil** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/soil-vs-swirl)
- **swim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swim-vs-swirl)
- **sail** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sail-vs-swirl)
- **stir** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stir-vs-swirl)
- **sire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sire-vs-swirl)
- **Siri** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/siri-vs-swirl)
- **sill** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sill-vs-swirl)
- **swig** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swig-vs-swirl)
- **still** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/still-vs-swirl)
- **shirt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shirt-vs-swirl)
- **skill** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/skill-vs-swirl)
- **swing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swing-vs-swirl)

## Common misspellings (8)
`siwrl`, `sswirl`, `swilr`, `swirll`, `swirrl`, `swril`, `swwirl`, `wsirl`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/swirl