: a swift or explosive rush
also : the sound created by such a rush
often used interjectionally

whoosh

2 of 2

verb

whooshed; whooshing; whooshes

intransitive verb

: to rush past or move explosively
cars whooshing along the expressway

transitive verb

: to move (a person or thing) with or as if with a whoosh

Examples of whoosh in a Sentence

Verb Cars whooshed along the highway. Water whooshed down the pipe.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Who needs words when the soundtrack is flush with the rush of natural sounds – the groan and crack of swaying trees, the whoosh of water. Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Nov. 2024 Ariel remembered telling Maricela to hurry and then feeling a whoosh and hearing a thump behind him. Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
Since Thursday, the world’s top race car drivers have been whooshing by at more than 200 miles per hour on the iconic Strip, preparing for Saturday night’s competition. Paul Chi, Vogue, 23 Nov. 2024 Cars whooshed past in the morning rush hour on Walt Whitman Bridge. Brooks Kubena, The Athletic, 11 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for whoosh 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

imitative

First Known Use

Noun

1856, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1909, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of whoosh was in 1856

Dictionary Entries Near whoosh

Cite this Entry

“Whoosh.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whoosh. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

whoosh

1 of 2 noun
ˈhwüsh How to pronounce whoosh (audio) ˈwüsh How to pronounce whoosh (audio)
ˈhwu̇sh,
wu̇sh
: a swift or explosive rush
also : the sound created by such a rush

whoosh

2 of 2 verb
: to pass or move along with a whoosh
cars whooshing along the highway

More from Merriam-Webster on whoosh

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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