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

As investors vacillate between favoring one group or the other, the constant back-and-forth is leaving some with a painful case of whiplash, said Dan Farley, chief investment officer for U.S.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026

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

From Science Daily ● Sep. 21, 2026

It was very likely caused by the whiplash he’s endured by tracking all of those line drives whizzing past his ear.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026

The drought in 2025, which lasted around six months for some, only ended in the autumn when the UK experienced "weather whiplash" - a sudden change in weather patterns that brought weeks of above-average rainfall.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

I couldn’t keep up with the emotional whiplash.

From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi

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