whiplash

American  

[hwip-lash, wip-] / ˈʰwɪpˌlæʃ, ˈwɪp- /

noun

1. the lash of a whip.

2. an abrupt snapping motion or change of direction resembling the lash of a whip.

3. Also whiplash injury. a neck injury caused by a sudden jerking backward, forward, or both, of the head.

   Whiplash resulted when their car was struck from behind.

4. Also called whiplash curve. a connected series of reverse curves of more or less elliptical form, used as a major design motif in the Art Nouveau style.

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verb (used with object)

1. to beat, hit, throw, etc., with or as if with a whiplash.

2. to affect adversely, as by a sudden change.

   new taxes whiplashing corporate earnings.

whiplash British  

/ ˈwɪpˌlæʃ /

noun

1. a quick lash or stroke of a whip or like that of a whip

2. med See whiplash injury

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Etymology

Origin of whiplash

First recorded in 1565–75; 1950–55 whiplash for def. 6; whip + lash ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

whiplash

The back-and-forth is leaving some investors with a case of whiplash.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026

"Our data suggest this metabolic whiplash is detrimental to heart health," Al-Aly added.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 21, 2026

This creates a cycle of rapid swings between drought and flooding, which is what people mean by weather whiplash.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

Part of that attention is aimed at Burwell’s score, a masterpiece of electronic minimalism in which pitch bends and hard clashes create the dread and whiplash that make the film so tense.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

I keep it combed back, but every so often a lock will break free and hang like a whiplash down the side of my face.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

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