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

When housing eventually turns, Ferguson has a business firing on all cylinders ready to absorb that tailwind. — Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026

At a time when Hollywood is facing all sorts of tailwinds economically and the streaming business is maturing in ways that can confuse even the experts, a story that involves the merger of two of the industry’s storied companies is a God send. — Rick Ellis, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

To build on its plans, Trema benefits from several tailwinds. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026

Many Democrats believe the national environment could offer them tailwinds. — Fin Daniel Gómez, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tailwind

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

Kids Definition

tail wind

noun

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