Meaning & use
reel
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Meanings
nouncountable
A round spool or drum on which thread, wire, film, tape, or fishing line is wound for storage or use.
Grammar: Counts as a normal noun: a reel, two reels, a reel of tape.
Patterns
- a reel of something
- a fishing reel
He loaded a fresh reel of film into the old projector.
The angler's reel clicked as the line ran out.
She bought three reels of cotton thread in different colors.
nouncountableinformal
A short video clip, especially one posted online, or a compilation of someone's best work shown to employers.
Grammar: Often used in compounds such as highlight reel or demo reel.
Patterns
- a highlight reel
- a demo reel
The actor sent his demo reel to several casting agents.
She posted a fifteen-second reel of the sunrise hike.
The sports channel played a highlight reel of the match.
verbintransitive
To stagger or sway as if about to fall, usually because of dizziness, a blow, or shock.
Grammar: No object; often followed by a direction or from: reel backward, reel from the news.
Patterns
- reel from something
- reel back
- reel with something
He reeled backward when the door swung open and hit his shoulder.
The whole town was still reeling from the factory closure.
After spinning in circles, the children reeled across the lawn.
verbtransitive
To wind something onto a reel, or to pull something in by winding a reel.
Grammar: Takes an object, usually with in or off: reel in the line.
Patterns
- reel something in
- reel something off
She slowly reeled in the line and felt the fish pulling hard.
The workers reeled up the cable before the storm.
He reeled the garden hose back onto its holder.
nouncountable
A fast, lively folk dance, especially from Scotland or Ireland, or the music written for it.
Grammar: Often described with a place: a Scottish reel, an Irish reel.
Patterns
- dance a reel
- a Highland reel
The fiddler struck up a reel and the whole hall began to dance.
They learned an Irish reel for the school festival.
The band finished with a rousing reel.
Word forms
| plural | reels |
|---|---|
| third person singular | reels |
| past tense | reeled |
| past participle | reeled |
| -ing form | reeling |
Common combinations
- fishing reel
- He oiled his fishing reel before the trip.
- reel in
- Reel in the line gently so it does not snap.
- reel from the shock
- The family was reeling from the shock of the news.
- highlight reel
- Her best saves went straight onto the highlight reel.
- reel off
- She could reel off the names of every river in Europe.
- my head is reeling
- With so many new facts, my head is reeling.
Synonyms and how they differ
- spool
- Spool usually describes a small cylinder for thread or tape, while reel often suggests a larger one for film, cable, or fishing line.
- stagger
- Stagger focuses on unsteady walking, whereas reel also suggests the cause, such as shock or dizziness.
- totter
- Totter suggests weak, shaky steps like a small child or old person, while reel suggests being thrown off balance.
- whirl
- Whirl means to spin fast, while reel for the mind or head means feeling dizzy and overwhelmed.
Word family
Commonly confused: reel or real? reel or wheel?
reel vs real
Real sounds the same but means genuine; reel is the winding device, the dance, or the verb for staggering.
reel vs wheel
A wheel rolls on an axle; a reel winds something onto itself, though the two can look alike.
Practice
After the bad news, the team was still ___ from the loss of its star player.
Choose one answer.
Reeling from means struggling to cope with a shock. Reeling in would mean winding something in, and real is a different word.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “reel”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.