: a swift or explosive rush
also : the sound created by such a rush
often used interjectionally

whoosh

2 of 2

verb

whooshed; whooshing; whooshes

intransitive verb

: to rush past or move explosively
cars whooshing along the expressway

transitive verb

: to move (a person or thing) with or as if with a whoosh

Examples of whoosh in a Sentence

Verb Cars whooshed along the highway. Water whooshed down the pipe.
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
The door is heard to open with a whoosh and a hissing sound, but neither the door nor the plane exterior are shown in the aftermath. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025 The composers have a WarioWare library’s worth of FX: Tiny alarms for a shocked face; rippling winds to signal someone in deep thought; kitschy screams to ratchet up the suspense; the gratifying whoosh when a vote parchment is read. Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
This might be the most 1990s song to ever exist in the best possible way — a perfectly airy mix of programmed drums, keyboards, whooshing ocean sounds, and crooning backup singers. Shana Naomi Krochmal, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025 On a sunny Monday afternoon, Eric Flanagan sat on the patio of his new restaurant, cars whooshing down Nieman Road. Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 18 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for whoosh

Word History

Etymology

Noun

imitative

First Known Use

Noun

1856, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1909, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of whoosh was in 1856

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Whoosh.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whoosh. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

whoosh

1 of 2 noun
ˈhwüsh How to pronounce whoosh (audio) ˈwüsh How to pronounce whoosh (audio)
ˈhwu̇sh,
wu̇sh
: a swift or explosive rush
also : the sound created by such a rush

whoosh

2 of 2 verb
: to pass or move along with a whoosh
cars whooshing along the highway

More from Merriam-Webster on whoosh

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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