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wind tunnel
noun
: a tunnellike passage through which air is blown at a known velocity to investigate air flow around an object (such as an airplane part or model) placed in the passage
Examples of wind tunnel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The crescent shape of the new condo tower and its jarring proximity, combined with the formerly soothing prevailing breeze, creates a wind tunnel that rakes across the north side of Building 3 and the driveway entrance, knocking down patio furniture, annihilating hairdos and slamming car doors.
—Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2024
The situation is made worse when the building is under construction because the structure essentially creates a wind tunnel.
—Gordon Rago, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2024
Without those touches in place, the building effectively becomes a large wind tunnel.
—Gordon Rago, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2024
The City Council agreed to spend $7 million on the three-story property, whose interior was dominated by two giant wind tunnels, to use it as a housing navigation center.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024
Specialized channels underneath the food basket direct the hot air back at your food – creating a hot wind tunnel, with your food right at the center of it all.
—Maxwell Zeff / Gizmodo, Quartz, 1 Apr. 2024
Intentionally constructed wind tunnels that help make Masdar City feel 10 degrees cooler than downtown Abu Dhabi.
—Chico Harlan, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023
Spring Break Bash programming at Betty Brinn Children's Museum
Betty Brinn Children's Museum — open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 25-April 5 — will have special spring break programming, including paper airplane creation and experimentation with gravity in a wind tunnel.
—Amy Schwabe, Journal Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2024
Team principal Andrea Stella would like to build on this and will hope that the lessons learned from the team’s new wind tunnel can drive this year’s car, MCL38, to success.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wind tunnel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1911, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near wind tunnel
Cite this Entry
“Wind tunnel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wind%20tunnel. Accessed 23 May. 2024.
Kids Definition
wind tunnel
noun
: a passage like a tunnel through which air is blown at a known speed to investigate air flow around an object (as an airplane part or model) placed in the passage
More from Merriam-Webster on wind tunnel
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wind tunnel
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