whisk

1 of 2

noun

1
: a quick light brushing or whipping motion
2
a
: a usually wire kitchen utensil used for beating food by hand
b
: a flexible bunch (as of twigs, feathers, or straw) attached to a handle for use as a brush

whisk

2 of 2

verb

whisked; whisking; whisks

intransitive verb

: to move nimbly and quickly

transitive verb

1
: to move or convey briskly
whisked the children off to bed
2
: to mix or fluff up by or as if by beating with a whisk
whisk egg whites
3
: to brush or wipe off lightly

Examples of whisk in a Sentence

Noun with a whisk of the broom, the dirt was gone Verb Whisk the eggs with the cream until the mixture thickens. She whisked the children off to bed. The taxi whisked me to the airport. The waitress whisked my plate away before I was finished eating.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Add the agave and use a whisk to combine everything. Ashia Aubourg, Outside Online, 5 July 2025 The dial on this tilt-head mixer has 12 speeds to choose from, comes with the basic three attachments (paddle, dough hook, and whisk), and has a splash guard to save on flour spray. Matthew Korfhage, Wired News, 29 June 2025
Verb
While the men of the colony greeted them eagerly, the women were whisked away by an order of nuns already living in the area. Ann Foster, JSTOR Daily, 9 July 2025 The script is way more confident when Gunn gets to scribble in the margins, whisking in Milly Alcock’s party-hardy Supergirl for a fast and fun cameo. Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for whisk

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English wisk, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse visk wisp; akin to Old English wiscian to plait

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of whisk was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Whisk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whisk. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

whisk

1 of 2 noun
ˈhwisk How to pronounce whisk (audio)
ˈwisk
1
: a quick brush or sweep
a whisk of the hand
2
: a small kitchen utensil used for beating food
3

whisk

2 of 2 verb
1
: to move easily and quickly
squirrels whisked up the trees
2
: to move or carry briskly
whisked the children off to bed
3
: to mix or fluff up by or as if by beating with a whisk
whisk eggs
4
: to brush or wipe off lightly
whisk the lint off your skirt

More from Merriam-Webster on whisk

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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