whirlwind

1 of 2

noun

whirl·​wind ˈ(h)wər(-ə)l-ˌwind 

1

: a small rotating windstorm of limited extent

2

a

: a confused rush : whirl

a whirlwind of meetings

b

: a violent or destructive force or agency

whirlwind

2 of 2

adjective

: resembling a whirlwind especially in speed or force

a whirlwind campaign

a whirlwind romance

Synonyms of whirlwind

Adjective

• rapid
• brisk
• quick
• fast
• galloping

Examples of whirlwind in a Sentence

Noun

My life has been a whirlwind lately.

He attended a whirlwind of meetings.

Adjective

The band went on a whirlwind concert tour.

They were married after a whirlwind romance.

We continued on at a whirlwind pace.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

However, the designer needed some time off, if not entirely detached, from the whirlwind of handling a fashion megabrand. — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2026

Since the release of her debut album Juno in 2021, Wolf had been on a whirlwind ride to indie-rock stardom. — Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2026

Adjective

And now, following a whirlwind six-month transformation, it’s been reborn as one of Scotland’s most characterful new stays. — Liam Hess, Vogue, 3 Nov. 2026

Advertisement She and her friends spent many whirlwind days in the city. — Joyce Cohen, New York Times, 29 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1727, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for whirlwind

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

Kids Definition

whirlwind

1 of 2 noun

whirl·​wind -ˌwind 

: a small windstorm of rapidly rotating air

whirlwind

2 of 2 adjective

: resembling a whirlwind especially in speed or force

a whirlwind campaign

a whirlwind romance