whirlwind
Americannoun
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Meteorology. a relatively small mass of air rotating rapidly around a more or less vertical axis and simultaneously advancing over land or sea: specific categories of whirlwind include dust devil, dust whirl, tornado, and waterspout.
The sails were carried up to the mastheads by the force of the whirlwind.
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anything resembling a whirlwind, as in violent action or destructive force.
a fiery whirlwind of shrapnel.
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someone or something characterized by great energy or swiftness, often with an atmosphere of chaos.
a staff of three do-nothings and one whirlwind; a whirlwind of activity at the stock exchange.
adjective
verb (used without object)
idioms
noun
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a column of air whirling around and towards a more or less vertical axis of low pressure, which moves along the land or ocean surface
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a motion or course resembling this, esp in rapidity
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( as modifier )
a whirlwind romance
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an impetuously active person
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of whirlwind
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old Norse hvirfilvindr; cognate with German Wirbelwind
Explanation
You can describe a tornado — a swirling vortex of air — as a powerful whirlwind, which is literally wind that whirls around in a narrow upright tube shape as it moves over the ground. Some kinds of whirlwinds cause terrible destruction as they sweep across the Earth's surface, sucking cars and trees into the pull of their spinning funnels. People often use this word figuratively, like describing a hectic or fast-paced vacation as a "whirlwind tour." The word whirlwind itself is thought to be modeled on the Old Norse word hvirfilvindr.
Vocabulary lists containing whirlwind
Wind Power: The Words Beneath Your Wings
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The Martian Chronicles
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That's the Way the Wind Blows
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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.
When Graham landed Saturday in Washington, colleagues said he was tired but elated after a whirlwind of meetings in Europe and Ukraine.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 13, 2026
Beaumont, now 35 and having just announced her retirement from international cricket after this week's Test against India, refers to her debut as a whirlwind.
From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026
The couple, of course, spoke about their whirlwind romance, but the main headline was that Swift would release her album “The Life of a Showgirl” later that fall.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 3, 2026
Then, in the game’s last 11 seconds, Knicks forward OG Anunoby pulled off a whirlwind sequence that will live forever in New York’s sports mythology.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
She took my hand, and I felt the power of a whirlwind sweep around me.
From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya
Definitions 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.
