whirlwind

1 of 2

noun

whirl·​wind ˈ(h)wər(-ə)l-ˌwind How to pronounce whirlwind (audio)
1
: a small rotating windstorm of limited extent
2
a
: a confused rush : whirl
a whirlwind of meetings
b
: a violent or destructive force or agency

whirlwind

2 of 2

adjective

: resembling a whirlwind especially in speed or force
a whirlwind campaign
a whirlwind romance

Examples of whirlwind in a Sentence

Noun My life has been a whirlwind lately. He attended a whirlwind of meetings. Adjective The band went on a whirlwind concert tour. They were married after a whirlwind romance. We continued on at a whirlwind pace.
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
In this whirlwind of activity, prioritizing self-care becomes not just a luxury, but a necessity for maintaining your mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024 The recording process was an emotional whirlwind that took just three hours but was deeply cathartic. Walaa Elsiddig, Billboard, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
The new pictures come after Brittany and Patrick returned back home to the U.S. from their whirlwind European trip to several countries including Spain, Portugal, Italy, England, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 11 July 2024 In a whirlwind 24 hours last week, Jenni Trilik and Marcus Contaldo went from being $216,000 in debt and the owners of nearly 30,000 bags of unsold coffee to utterly overwhelmed with support. Tatyana Turner, Chicago Tribune, 4 Jan. 2023 See all Example Sentences for whirlwind 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1614, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of whirlwind was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near whirlwind

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

whirlwind

1 of 2 noun
whirl·​wind -ˌwind How to pronounce whirlwind (audio)
: a small windstorm of rapidly rotating air

whirlwind

2 of 2 adjective
: resembling a whirlwind especially in speed or force
a whirlwind campaign
a whirlwind romance

More from Merriam-Webster on whirlwind

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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