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

The tonal whiplash gave it a nonsensical, dark irony, like something an especially cynical Tim Robinson would create. —T. M. Brown, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2025

Yet some furniture executives worry that this help from the federal government will do more harm than good to an industry grappling with notoriously thin profit margins, a shortage of skilled workers and whiplash from other tariffs. —Matt Egan, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025

In addition to slashed federal awards, the EV industry is facing whiplash in federal policy. —Connor Giffin, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Oct. 2025

Even those who like parts of his agenda have been stumped about how to talk him out of the stuff that terrifies them — whiplash tariffs and a labor-depleting immigration crackdown. —Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 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)