What does reeled mean?
Reeled is the past tense and past participle of reel, a verb with several related meanings. Its most familiar use describes a person or object moving unsteadily, as though struck, surprised, or losing balance: the boxer reeled after the punch. It can also mean to wind a line or material onto a reel, especially when retrieving it, as when a fisherman reeled in the line. Related figurative uses include reeling in information or producing a long speech quickly. The word is common in British and American English and can sound vivid because it suggests both spinning motion and a loss of balance. In contexts involving fishing, film, or recorded media, the underlying idea is winding something back toward its source.
verbReeled is the past tense and past participle of reel. It can mean to move unsteadily as if losing balance, or to wind something onto a reel or spool.
- To move unsteadily, as if staggering or losing one's balance.
- To wind a line, rope, or other material onto a reel or spool.
- To reel in or retrieve something, especially by winding it onto a reel.
- To reel under the effects of shock, surprise, or distress.
"The fisherman reeled in the line as the fish approached the boat."
"The boxer reeled after the punch and nearly fell."
"She reeled in the fishing line and found a small trout on the hook."
A line that has reeled in your hand may hold a catch—or a metaphor for a rapidly changing situation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does reeled come from?
The verb reel comes from an Old English root associated with spinning or turning, and it originally referred to winding thread or threadlike material. Its sense of moving unsteadily developed later, probably by analogy with a spinning object that loses its balance. The related noun reel, meaning a spool or rotating device, and words such as roller share this origin.
Related word forms
How reeled is actually used
The sense of losing one's balance is common in both formal and informal writing. In the fishing and media senses, the word is usually used with a complement such as "in" or "off," as in "reeled in the line" and "reeled off a speech."