whirlwind
Americannoun
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Meteorology. a relatively small mass of air rotating rapidly around a more or less vertical axis and simultaneously advancing over land or sea: specific categories of whirlwind include dust devil, dust whirl, tornado, and waterspout.
The sails were carried up to the mastheads by the force of the whirlwind.
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anything resembling a whirlwind, as in violent action or destructive force.
a fiery whirlwind of shrapnel.
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someone or something characterized by great energy or swiftness, often with an atmosphere of chaos.
a staff of three do-nothings and one whirlwind; a whirlwind of activity at the stock exchange.
adjective
verb (used without object)
idioms
noun
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a column of air whirling around and towards a more or less vertical axis of low pressure, which moves along the land or ocean surface
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a motion or course resembling this, esp in rapidity
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( as modifier )
a whirlwind romance
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an impetuously active person
Etymology
Origin of whirlwind
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old Norse hvirfilvindr; cognate with German Wirbelwind
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.
Stocks were caught up Friday in a whirlwind of market-moving headlines, making for a wild final trading day in a rough month for U.S. equities.
From MarketWatch
There were unmistakable echoes of his old group in the whirlwind medley of the title track and the honey-dripping ballad “Bluebird.”
On 21 September 2002, Clinton boarded Epstein's private jet, and embarked on a whirlwind tour of African countries with several celebrities, according to flight logs.
From BBC
But just three days later, amid a whirlwind of post show publicity, Rachel went from the "highest of highs" to the "lowest of lows" with the news her mother was dying.
From BBC
He was so dizzy from that whirlwind I had put him through he couldn’t seem to do anything.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
