whiz

¹ American  

[hwiz, wiz] / ʰwɪz, wɪz /

Or whizz

verb (used without object)

whizzed, whizzing

1. to make a humming, buzzing, or hissing sound, as an object passing swiftly through the air.

2. to move or rush with such a sound.

   The angry hornets whizzed by in a cloud.

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verb (used with object)

whizzed, whizzing

1. to cause to whiz.

2. to treat with a whizzer.

noun

1. Informal. a person who is quite good at a particular activity, in a certain field, etc..

   She's a whiz at math.

2. the sound of a whizzing object.

3. a swift movement producing such a sound.

whiz ² American  

[hwiz, wiz] / ʰwɪz, wɪz /

noun

1. wizard.

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Other Word Forms

• whizzingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of whiz¹

1540–50; imitative; fizz

Origin of whiz²

By shortening

Example Sentences

As four astronauts whiz toward a flyby of the Moon, looking out for them are mission control experts using cutting-edge technology and lessons learned from the Apollo program 50 years ago.

From Barron's • Apr. 4, 2026

Vincent was a first-generation Indian immigrant and dot-com whiz kid.

From Slate • Jan. 13, 2026

I’m not a financial whiz kid, but investors are trying to bring the price down so they can buy as much as possible, trying to scare the weaker hands.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 19, 2025

That’s what makes the Rockies the Holy Grail for the math wonks and Ivy League whiz kids who make up baseball’s executive class.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025

Those on bicycles whiz by so fast I can’t even tell who’s on the bike.

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank

Related Words

• flit
• hurtle
• whir
• whoosh