whoosh

Also woosh

[hwoosh, hwoosh, woosh, woosh]

noun

1. a loud, rushing noise, as of air or water.

   a great whoosh as the door opened.

verb (used without object)

1. to move swiftly with a gushing or hissing noise.

   gusts of wind whooshing through the trees.

verb (used with object)

1. to move (an object, a person, etc.) with a whooshing motion or sound.

   The storm whooshed the waves over the road.

whoosh

/ wʊʃ /

noun

1. a hissing or rushing sound

2. a rush of emotion

   a whoosh of happiness

verb

1. (intr) to make or move with a hissing or rushing sound

Word History and Origins

Origin of whoosh¹

First recorded in 1840–50; imitative

Example Sentences

Skate dads in L.A. will yell unintelligibly at you as they whoosh by, and when you don’t respond they’ll spend the rest of the session snaking you at every turn.

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The car in hand—the Karma Revero, a plug-in hybrid luxury GT, built in Riverside County, Calif.—surged beneath me, producing an otherworldly whooshing as it did.

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The commotion and noise are unnerving; cars speed by so close you can feel whooshes as they pass.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

As they sweep past, their beating wings whoosh in unison.

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She stirs spirits with the barely heard whooshes of drum brushes waved in the air.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• circle 
• climb 
• cross 
• drift 
• float 
• flutter 
• glide 
• operate 
• pilot 
• reach 
• rush 
• sail 
• shoot 
• speed 
• swoop 
• take off 
• travel