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
R. S. Banay3
: 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
That kind of whiplash underscores why, even when there’s news of tariffs easing, goods don’t start flowing into US ports right away.
—Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Money, 30 May 2025
Why Podcasts Matter More Than Ever for Leaders The modern leader is juggling AI disruption, trade wars, economic whiplash, and declining morale.
—Anjali Chaudhry, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
Industry whiplash Gordon Hanson is an economist at Harvard Kennedy School who has published influential research on American manufacturing, including on what happened to it in the face of competition with China.
—Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 13 May 2025
But the whiplash that Head Start has sustained in recent weeks has been perhaps especially severe.
—Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for whiplash
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Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Money, 30 May 2025
Why Podcasts Matter More Than Ever for Leaders The modern leader is juggling AI disruption, trade wars, economic whiplash, and declining morale.
—Anjali Chaudhry, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
Industry whiplash Gordon Hanson is an economist at Harvard Kennedy School who has published influential research on American manufacturing, including on what happened to it in the face of competition with China.
—Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 13 May 2025
But the whiplash that Head Start has sustained in recent weeks has been perhaps especially severe.
—Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for whiplash
Cite this Entry
“Whiplash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whiplash. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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)
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