vortex
Americannoun
-
vortices,
plural
-
vortexes
plural
-
a whirling mass of water, especially one in which a force of suction operates, as a whirlpool.
-
a whirling mass of air, especially one in the form of a visible column or spiral, as a tornado.
-
a whirling mass of fire, flame, etc.
-
a state of affairs likened to a whirlpool for violent activity, irresistible force, etc.
-
something regarded as drawing into its powerful current everything that surrounds it.
the vortex of war.
-
(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.
noun
-
a whirling mass or rotary motion in a liquid, gas, flame, etc, such as the spiralling movement of water around a whirlpool
-
any activity, situation, or way of life regarded as irresistibly engulfing
-
vortexes
plural
-
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.
-
See also eddy
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of vortex
First recorded in 1645–55; from Latin, variant of vertex vertex
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.
Vocabulary lists containing vortex
100 Words Every High School Graduate Should Know
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Wintry Words
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Zilch, Zip, Nada: Words For Nothing
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
By using these atomic steps as natural guiding tracks, scientists may be able to control vortex motion with remarkable precision.
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
A strong polar vortex tends to encourage a strong polar jet stream in the troposphere.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
"Our strategy was to outrun the vortex dynamics," says Eryin Wang.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026
Still others have speculated that the sub was sucked into the vortex of the sinking warship and dragged to the bottom.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
"So you get these big vortexes, it's quite intense, with these outbursts of activity."
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2025
Their findings revealed that swimmers can utilize water flow and vortexes more effectively as their speed increases.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 14, 2024
After the Breton engineers who had designed and assembled the vortexes told everyone to take their seats, the “Prometheus” team quieted down, and waited.
From New York Times ● Feb. 23, 2024
Mobulas are known to create vortex formations when feeding or resting, but this is the first time vortexes have been reported in a mating context.
From National Geographic ● Nov. 20, 2023
Little vortexes of dust spiral around the block as I step down from the trailer with my parents.
From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed
"These nanoscale vortices could help develop computers that resemble biological brains," said Sudbø.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2026
It also allows researchers to study how changing the size and shape of individual magnetic vortices affects their behavior.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2026
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
The findings demonstrate that even a surface feature only one atom high can have a powerful influence on the movement of quantum vortices.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
Adam’s irises were light blue with dark radial lines leading into the vortices of his pupils.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
