- a powerful circular current or vortex of water, usually produced by conflicting tidal currents or by eddying at the foot of a waterfall
- something resembling a whirlpool in motion or the power to attract into its vortex
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
whirl•pool /ˈhwɜrˌpul, ˈwɜrl-/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- water moving quickly in a circular motion, often producing a downward spiraling action.
whirl•pool
(hwûrl′po̅o̅l′, wûrl′-),USA pronunciation n.
- water in swift, circular motion, as that produced by the meeting of opposing currents, often causing a downward spiraling action.
- HeraldrySee whirlpool bath.
- [Heraldry.]gurge (def. 2).
- 1520–30; whirl + pool1; compare late Old English hwyrfepōl
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
whirlpool /ˈwɜːlˌpuːl/ n
'whirlpool' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Charybdis
- eddy
- gorge
- gulf
- Llanfairpwllgwyngyll
- maelstrom
- regurgitate
- strudel
- vortex
- Bingen
- corrie
- gurge
- gurgitation
- hot tub
- ingurgitate
- Jacuzzi
- whirlpool bath
- suck
- swallow