noun
whiplash
WIHP-lash
Whiplash (noun) means a neck injury caused by a sudden, violent jerking of the head, often in a car accident. Example: “She suffered whiplash after being rear-ended at a red light.”
noun
1
A neck injury caused by a sudden, violent jerking of the head, often in a car accident.
"She suffered whiplash after being rear-ended at a red light."
2
A sudden, jarring change or shock.
"The plot twist gave readers emotional whiplash."
"Some parents, feeling too hurt by the push-off or taking their teenager’s rejections too personally, choose to make themselves unavailable. In some ways it does feel better to avoid episodes of emotional whiplash."
— Lisa Damour, The Emotional Whiplash of Parenting a Teenager (2014)
How to use whiplash
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA neck injury from a sudden jerk of the head, or, more loosely, a sudden jarring change.
Common pairings
suffer whiplash
whiplash injury
emotional whiplash
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Word forms
- Plural
- whiplashes
- Third person singular
- whiplashes
- Past tense
- whiplashed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She suffered _____ after being rear-ended at a red light.
Etymology
A compound of whip and lash, describing an injury that mimics the snapping motion of a whip.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “whiplash” mean?
The word “whiplash” means a neck injury caused by a sudden, violent jerking of the head, often in a car accident. In plain terms, a neck injury from a sudden jerk of the head, or, more loosely, a sudden jarring change.
How do you pronounce “whiplash”?
“Whiplash” is pronounced WIHP-lash (/ˈwɪpˌlæʃ/ in IPA).
How do you use “whiplash” in a sentence?
Here is “whiplash” used in a sentence: “She suffered whiplash after being rear-ended at a red light.”
What part of speech is “whiplash”?
“Whiplash” is a noun.
How many meanings does “whiplash” have?
“Whiplash” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a neck injury caused by a sudden, violent jerking of the head, often in a car accident.
