vortex

American  

[vawr-teks] / ˈvɔr tɛks /

noun

• vortices,
  plural
• vortexes
  plural

1. a whirling mass of water, especially one in which a force of suction operates, as a whirlpool.

2. a whirling mass of air, especially one in the form of a visible column or spiral, as a tornado.

3. a whirling mass of fire, flame, etc.

4. a state of affairs likened to a whirlpool for violent activity, irresistible force, etc.

5. something regarded as drawing into its powerful current everything that surrounds it.

   the vortex of war.

6. (in Cartesian philosophy) a rapid rotatory movement of cosmic matter about a center, regarded as accounting for the origin or phenomena of bodies or systems of bodies in space.

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vortex British  

/ ˈvɔːtɛks /

noun

1. a whirling mass or rotary motion in a liquid, gas, flame, etc, such as the spiralling movement of water around a whirlpool

2. any activity, situation, or way of life regarded as irresistibly engulfing

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vortex Scientific  

/ vôr′tĕks′ /

• vortexes
  plural

1. A circular, spiral, or helical motion in a fluid (such as a gas) or the fluid in such a motion. A vortex often forms around areas of low pressure and attracts the fluid (and the objects moving within it) toward its center. Tornados are examples of vortexes; vortexes that form around flying objects are a source of turbulence and drag.

2. See also eddy

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• vortical
  adjective
• vortically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• vortexes
  plural
• vortices
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of vortex

First recorded in 1645–55; from Latin, variant of vertex vertex

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Explanation

Think vortex and picture a tornado or whirlpool — swirling around, causing destruction. If you picture a whirlpool spinning and draining like water out of a bathtub, you'll get a pretty good impression of what a vortex looks like. Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz found out first-hand the meaning of vortex as she and her house whirled around in the funnel cloud of a tornado. In a figurative sense, vortex can be used to talk about something that seems like it is whirling out of control, all consuming, or chaotic. This may include exam week, your relationships, or your life in general.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vortex vortexes vortices

This behavior, known as one-dimensional pinning-free vortex flow, means the vortices can travel along a defined path without encountering the usual obstacles that restrict their movement.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

In late winter, the waves of energy released by El Niño can move upwards through the atmosphere making it more likely that the polar vortex becomes disrupted, increasing the chance of ice and snow.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

So while El Niño is already having big impacts on global weather, and may influence the polar vortex later in winter, snow and ice in the UK is far from guaranteed.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

This sharply reduces the energy loss caused by vortex motion and allows researchers to push the superconducting state much closer to its fundamental current limit.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026

The propeller grinded into reverse, trying to slow the ship, but we kept sliding toward the center of the vortex.

From "The Sea of Monsters" by Rick Riordan

"So you get these big vortexes, it's quite intense, with these outbursts of activity."

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2025

Its three suns move and align in such a way as to create regular but random apocalyptic events, from infernal heat to sudden ice ages to gravitational vortexes, that destroy the civilization again and again.

From New York Times ● Mar. 22, 2024

Their findings revealed that swimmers can utilize water flow and vortexes more effectively as their speed increases.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 14, 2024

Sedona’s energy vortexes beckon droves of spiritual seekers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 30, 2023

Little vortexes of dust spiral around the block as I step down from the trailer with my parents.

From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed

By learning to observe and manipulate these tiny magnetic vortices in real time, scientists are gaining capabilities that could eventually help reshape the design of computers.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2026

Although most people have never heard of skyrmions, these microscopic magnetic vortices may eventually play an important role in how computers store and process data.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2026

Within this range, vortices could flow freely along the steps without becoming trapped by imperfections in the material.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

Being able to control where these vortices travel could therefore help scientists improve superconducting devices.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

Hooke also did away with the vortices, introducing the idea of what we would now call ‘action at a distance’—gravity reaching out across empty space to tug on the Moon or the planets.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin

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