vortex

noun

vor·​tex ˈvȯr-ˌteks 

plural vortices ˈvȯr-tə-ˌsēz  also vortexes ˈvȯr-ˌtek-səz 

1

: something that resembles a whirlpool

… the hellish vortex of battle …

—Time

2

a

: a mass of fluid (such as a liquid) with a whirling or circular motion that tends to form a cavity or vacuum in the center of the circle and to draw toward this cavity or vacuum bodies subject to its action

especially : whirlpool, eddy

b

: a region within a body of fluid in which the fluid elements have an angular velocity

Synonyms of vortex

• gulf
• whirlpool
• maelstrom
• swirl

Examples of vortex in a Sentence

a boat sucked down into the vortex

Recent Examples on the Web

Electric utilities in the South had spent billions weatherizing the grid and power plants after the 2014 polar vortex, whose record cold weather exposed vulnerabilities. —Kristi Swartz, AJC.com, 26 Jan. 2026

When unstable, the polar vortex can cause the jet stream — a band of strong wind that generally travels from west to east and acts as a boundary between cold, polar air and warmer air farther south — to buckle, sending bitterly cold air from the Arctic southward into North America. —Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 25 Jan. 2026

Under this model, utilities like Con Edison are legally required to serve everyone in their service territory, every hour of every day — even during storms, heat waves and polar vortices. —Rory M. Christian, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026

In simplified terms, polar vortexes are walls of rotating air that essentially trap cold air around the polar regions. —Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin vortic-, vortex, from Latin vertex, vortex whirlpool — more at vertex

First Known Use

1652, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for vortex

• cortex
• neocortex

Kids Definition

vortex

noun

vor·​tex ˈvȯr-ˌteks 

plural vortices ˈvȯrt-ə-ˌsēz  also vortexes

: a mass of whirling fluid forming a cavity in the center toward which things are drawn : whirlpool

Medical Definition

vortex

transitive verb

vor·​tex ˈvȯ(ə)r-ˌteks 

: to mix (as the contents of a test tube) by means of a rapid whirling or circular motion

vortex air into a solution

vortexing noun