tailwind

noun

tail·​wind ˈtāl-ˌwind 

plural tailwinds

1

: a wind having the same general direction as a course of movement (as of an aircraft)

2

: a force or influence that advances progress toward an improved condition

… the strengthening housing market should be providing tailwinds for home improvement retailers.

—Katherine Peralta

Medicare reform is a thorny problem even when the political tailwinds are favorable.

—Russ Wiles

Examples of tailwind in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The investment firm said Texas Instruments is benefiting from several tailwinds, like an end to its recent capital expenditures cycle and its data center business growth, that support Texas Instruments' outlook. —Michelle Fox, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026

The secular story on big-cap tech—the margins, the cash flow, the AI tailwind—was never in doubt. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026

Chinese bank shares have outpaced the broader market since the war in Iran broke out, with attractive dividend yields and improving earnings prospects likely to provide further tailwinds, according to analysts. —Bloomberg, 7 Apr. 2026

Look, there’s tailwinds in defense and energy and aerospace. —Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 17 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tailwind

• chagrined
• crosswind
• downwind
• rescind
• upwind
• whirlwind
• woodwind
• finned
• ginned
• grinned
• pinned
• sinned

Kids Definition

tail wind

noun

: a wind having the same general direction as the course of a moving object (as an aircraft)