whiplash

noun

whip·​lash ˈ(h)wip-ˌlash 

1

: the lash of a whip

2

: something resembling a blow from a whip

… the whiplash of fear …

—R. S. Banay

3

: injury resulting from a sudden sharp whipping movement of the neck and head (as of a person in a vehicle that is struck from the rear by another vehicle)

Examples of whiplash in a Sentence

He got whiplash when his car was rear-ended.

Recent Examples on the Web

Handling that amount of real-life whiplash would be difficult for anyone, much less a 22-year-old early in his NFL career. —Alec Lewis, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025

Even with the emotional whiplash of Edward's shifting moods, Pattinson channels a sober sincerity that's almost magnetic. —Edward Segarra, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025

Trump is much more assured of surviving this week’s Senate votes, which disapprove of his tariffs on Brazil and Canada plus his global levies, but the whiplash of his trade agenda is clearly wearing on GOP senators. —Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2025

Most colleges have struggled to keep up with the whiplash pace of AI innovation, but the CEO of Malvern College said schools are finally waking up. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for whiplash

• backlash
• chumash
• eyelash
• moustache
• mustache
• noncash
• potash
• rehash
• ash
• bash
• brash
• cache

Kids Definition

whiplash

noun

whip·​lash -ˌlash 

1

: the lash of a whip

2

: injury resulting from a sudden sharp jerking movement of the head and neck (as of a person in a car that is struck from behind by another car)

Medical Definition

whiplash

noun

whip·​lash ˈhwip-ˌlash, ˈwip- 

: injury resulting from a sudden sharp whipping movement of the neck and head (as of a person in a vehicle that is struck head-on or from the rear by another vehicle)