Whirling Dervish Definition & Meaning

Definition

Examples

whirling dervish American

noun

Islam.

1. a member of a Turkish order of dervishes, or Sufis, whose ritual consists in part of a highly stylized whirling dance.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

One photo made front pages around the world: a lone protester dressed as a whirling dervish - in traditional costume plus gas mask – being pepper-sprayed by the police.

From BBC

The Liverpool teenager, on loan at Middlesbrough, was a whirling dervish, a human blur taking the fight to Croatia.

From BBC

When Wilder came in last time he was like a whirling dervish.

From BBC

It’s a tough job, but Rebecca, an ebullient, wisecracking, fist-bumping whirling dervish, is more than up to the task and Sherman plays the offbeat role to the hilt.

From Los Angeles Times

During Ultimate, I felt like I was chasing a whirling dervish around the field.

From Seattle Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.