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
Rodrigo’s albums necessarily have to alternate her pop-punk thrashers and her ballads, to some degree, making for a little bit of whiplash for the few of us who still listen to albums in sequence.
—Thania Garcia, Variety, 8 May 2024
The Israel-Hamas war and the lives of Israeli hostages and 2 million Palestinians in Gaza were in a state of whiplash Tuesday.
—Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for whiplash 
Thania Garcia, Variety, 8 May 2024
The Israel-Hamas war and the lives of Israeli hostages and 2 million Palestinians in Gaza were in a state of whiplash Tuesday.
—Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for whiplash
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whiplash.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near whiplash
Cite this Entry
“Whiplash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whiplash. Accessed 15 May. 2024.
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)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share