tailwind

noun

tail·​wind ˈtāl-ˌwind How to pronounce tailwind (audio)
plural tailwinds
Synonyms of tailwindnext
1
: a wind having the same general direction as a course of movement (as of an aircraft)
2
: a force or influence that advances progress toward an improved condition
… the strengthening housing market should be providing tailwinds for home improvement retailers.Katherine Peralta
Medicare reform is a thorny problem even when the political tailwinds are favorable.Russ Wiles

Examples of tailwind in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Consumer spending could get a tailwind from what economists anticipate will be larger tax refunds this year because of tax cuts. Lucia Mutikani, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026 Sustainability, championed at Vestiaire by Moizant, remains a structural tailwind. Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 18 Feb. 2026 While that's a compelling case that should play out, the tailwind hasn't shown up in earnings yet. Paulina Likos, CNBC, 18 Feb. 2026 Headwinds buffeted Sunday morning's field of nearly 10,000 runners in the first part of the Austin Marathon, but tailwinds in the late miles helped push Joseph Whelan and Kellyn Taylor to victories and course records. Brom Hoban, Austin American Statesman, 15 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tailwind

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tailwind was in 1897

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tailwind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailwind. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

tail wind

noun
: a wind having the same general direction as the course of a moving object (as an aircraft)

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