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

Scrolling through the hundreds of videos of or about Bill Burr on YouTube can cause whiplash. —Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 31 July 2025

The turbulence created by the tariff whiplash has exposed these flaws more clearly than ever, and should prompt a thorough reassessment of the value of such pronouncements. —George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025

The emotional whiplash of that day is a microcosm of Nohos’ college career, which began at Division III Loras and continued at Division I Illinois-Chicago as the velocity on his fastball increased dramatically. —Dave Melton, Chicago Tribune, 29 July 2025

The volatility also comes amid the expectation of a peak shipping season that came and went earlier than usual due to the tariff whiplash. —Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 28 July 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)