whoosh

1 of 2

noun

ˈ(h)wüsh  ˈ(h)wu̇sh 

: 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

Noun

In the fires, palms went up with a whoosh, like matchsticks in hell. —Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2025

There were no other sounds in the universe save for the whoosh of an occasional breeze, and the colors changed every two minutes. —Patty Hodapp, Outside Online, 5 Feb. 2024

Verb

The recording includes an ominous whooshing noise — apparently the traces of the Titan’s catastrophic destruction, which killed all five people onboard during a dive to the wreckage of the Titanic off the coast of Canada. —Adam Carlson, People.com, 11 Feb. 2025

Fire crews moved fast, throwing heavy resources at the fires as Santa Ana winds delivered a big, direct hit on San Diego County, arriving from the east-northeast before dawn and whooshing largely unfettered through arid mountain passes and canyons. —Paul Sisson, The Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

imitative

First Known Use

Noun

1856, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1909, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for whoosh

• douche
• touche
• barouche
• cartouche

Kids Definition

whoosh

1 of 2 noun

ˈhwüsh  ˈwüsh 

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