How to pronounce twirl
Say it like TWURL. Twirl is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce twirl. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TWURL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Twirl pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TWURLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of twirl
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: TWURL.
What does twirl mean?
- To perform a twirl.
- To rotate rapidly.
- To twist round.
- A movement where a person spins round elegantly; a pirouette.
- Any rotating movement; a spin.“The conductor gave his baton a twirl, and the orchestra began to play.”
- A little twist of some substance; a swirl.
Where does twirl come from?
Of Scandinavian origin, akin to Norwegian Nynorsk tvirla, Old High German dweran (German zwirlen, quirlen), Dutch dwarrelen and Icelandic þyrill; all from Proto-Germanic *þwirilaz (“stirring-stick, whisk”), *þweraną (“to stir”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with twirl
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of twirl.
Questions about saying twirl
How do you pronounce twirl?
Say TWURL. The American pronunciation is /twɝl/. In British English it is /twɜːl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in twirl?
Twirl is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: TWURL.
Is twirl pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /twɜːl/ (TWURL).