whiz

1 of 3

verb

ˈ(h)wiz 

variants or whizz

whizzed; whizzing

intransitive verb

1

: to hum, whir, or hiss like a speeding object (such as an arrow or ball) passing through air

2

: to fly or move swiftly especially with a whiz

cars whizzing by

transitive verb

: to cause to whiz

especially : to rotate very rapidly

whiz

2 of 3

noun (1)

variants or whizz

plural whizzes

1

: a hissing, buzzing, or whirring sound

2

: a movement or passage of something accompanied by a whizzing sound

3

informal + impolite : an act of urinating

—used especially in the phrase take a whiz

whiz

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural whizzes

: wizard sense 2

a math whiz

Synonyms of whiz

Verb

• hiss
• bubble

Noun (1)

• whistle
• sizzle
• zip
• fizz

Noun (2)

• expert
• adept
• master
• scholar
• wizard
• virtuoso
• guru

Examples of whiz in a Sentence

Verb

The ball whizzed through the air.

Cars whizzed by on the highway.

He whizzed past us on skates.

She whizzed through the exam.

Noun (1)

the whiz of an arrow flying by at an uncomfortably close range

the irritating whiz of a bee in the room

Noun (2)

the computer whiz to whom we all go when we're having problems, which is fairly often

one of those whizzes who does very well in every subject

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

One, that it was made not just of ash and soot, but of metal, glass and concrete; and two, that soon this shrapnel would be whizzing by — and perhaps through — my head. — Timothy Townsend, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026

While gassing up her 2004 Honda, Aja Harmon of Kearny Mesa shook her head as the digits on the pump whizzed by. — Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Sep. 2026

Noun

Murphy’s a whiz with cars, both fixing them and driving them fast, yet those skills only mean so much when the Great Depression is threatening to turn Eugene, Oregon, into a ghost town. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026

An early prototype for several of the titles on this list, this adaptation of Sumika Yamamoto’s manga of the same name is one of anime’s ultimate, early wimp-to-whiz sports journeys. — Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

imitative

Noun (2)

probably by shortening & alteration

First Known Use

Verb

1582, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1620, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1914, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing whiz

• gee whiz
• take a whiz
• whiz kid

Rhymes for whiz

• biz
• fizz
• his
• is
• quiz
• riz
• tis
• whizz
• wiz
• chandeliers
• nowise

Kids Definition

whiz

1 of 3 verb

variants or whizz

ˈhwiz 

ˈwiz

whizzed; whizzing

1

: to hum, buzz, or hiss like a speeding object (as an arrow or ball) passing through air

2

: to fly, pass, or move swiftly with a buzzing sound

cars whizzing by

whizzer noun

whiz

2 of 3 noun

variants or whizz

plural whizzes

: a humming, buzzing, or hissing sound

whiz

3 of 3 noun

plural whizzes

: wizard sense 2

a math whiz

Etymology

Verb

probably coined in imitation of the sound of a speeding object going by

Noun

probably a shortened and altered form of wizard