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

But the macro tailwinds are shifting. —Gustaf Lundberg Toresson, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025

Lest one forget regulatory tailwinds; the European Union Nature Restoration Law obliges EU member states to rehabilitate 20 percent of degraded ecosystems by 2030. —Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 8 Sep. 2025

Those same analysts have also previously highlighted industry consolidation as a favorable long-term tailwind for Casey's. —Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2025

However, investors remain unsure whether AI will be a tailwind or a headwind for the stock. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 3 Sep. 2025

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)