tailwind

American

[teyl-wind] / ˈteɪlˌwɪnd /

noun

a wind coming from directly behind a moving object, especially an aircraft or other vehicle (headwind ).

tailwind British

/ ˈteɪlˌwɪnd /

noun

a wind blowing in the same direction as the course of an aircraft or ship Compare headwind

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of tailwind

First recorded in 1895–1900; tail ¹ + wind ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Europe has seen improving corporate profits, relatively cheap stock valuations, and tailwinds from increased defense and other government spending.

From Barron's

Strong corporate earnings in the fourth quarter and a solid economy provide tailwinds, but geopolitical risks and AI disruption temper market sentiment.

From Barron's

He said that based on his conversations, the company is benefiting from tailwinds in the data-modernization space and that its AI products are gaining early traction.

From MarketWatch

“But I do think the model in general has a lot of tailwinds.”

From The Wall Street Journal

There’s now a near-term ceiling for how high U.S. tariff rates can go and this may lead to increased consumer demand and a tailwind for corporate margins in the second half of 2026.

From MarketWatch

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023