whirlwind
gb/wˈɚlwˌɪnd/ us/wˈɚlwˌɪnd/
B2
Anglais
~ 10000
Sens
0 sens
Nom
B2
event
1
Very busy, fast series of events
A time when many things happen very fast and it feels busy or confusing.
Schéma d’usage :
a whirlwind of [activity/events/emotions]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse a “whirlwind of activity” with a specific weather event like a tornado. In this figurative sense, it does not describe the weather; it describes a very busy time or many emotions. Also, do not say *“whirlwind activities”* when you mean the period; use *“a whirlwind of activities.”*
Synonymes
flurry (Suggests a short, busy period of activity, but can sound slightly milder or more formal than “whirlwind.”)
Antonymes
lull (A lull is a quiet or calm period with little happening, opposite of a whirlwind of activity.)
Collocations
a whirlwind of activity
|a whirlwind of events
|a whirlwind of emotions
|in a whirlwind of
|whirlwind few days
Thèmes
daily life
|time
|work
|emotions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The last few weeks before the deadline were a whirlwind of meetings and late nights.
- After the announcement, her life became a whirlwind of interviews, travel, and emails.
- He described the trip as a whirlwind of new faces, new ideas, and little sleep.
- The company’s sudden growth created a whirlwind of change inside the office.
- She went through a whirlwind of emotions after hearing the news.
Exemples pédagogiques
- My first month at work was a whirlwind of new tasks.
- Their wedding plans turned into a whirlwind of phone calls and emails.
- The holiday season is always a whirlwind of shopping and parties.
- Moving to another country was a whirlwind of forms and questions.
- This week has been a whirlwind of tests at school.
adjective
B2
property
2
Very quick and intensely busy
Describes a visit, trip, or event that is very fast and very busy.
Schéma d’usage :
a whirlwind [tour/visit/day/meeting]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes place “whirlwind” after the noun (*“a tour whirlwind”*), but it normally goes before: *“a whirlwind tour.”* Also, avoid using it for single small actions; it is usually used with larger events or periods like tours, visits, days, or schedules.
Synonymes
hectic (Also means very busy and rushed, but does not carry the same strong sense of speed and intensity packed into a very short time as “whirlwind.”)
Antonymes
leisurely (Describes something done slowly and in a relaxed way, opposite of a whirlwind tour or visit.)
Collocations
a whirlwind tour
|a whirlwind visit
|a whirlwind trip
|a whirlwind day
|a whirlwind schedule
Thèmes
travel
|daily life
|time
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- We took a whirlwind tour of three cities in four days.
- The president made a whirlwind visit to the disaster area.
- It was a whirlwind day of back-to-back meetings.
- They organized a whirlwind trip to see all the major sights before the conference.
- After a whirlwind interview process, she received an offer within a week.
Exemples pédagogiques
- We had a whirlwind tour of the capital city.
- His trip to Europe was a whirlwind visit to five countries.
- Yesterday was a whirlwind day at the office.
- She went on a whirlwind trip for work.
- We only had time for a whirlwind meeting with the client.
Nom
C1
event
3
Spinning column of wind
A small but strong wind that turns in a circle and may lift dust or leaves into the air.
Schéma d’usage :
a whirlwind of [dust/leaves]
Erreur fréquente :
Some learners think “whirlwind” means any very strong wind or storm. In this sense, it is a specific spinning column of air, usually much smaller than a tornado. Do not use it for general windy weather.
Synonymes
vortex (A more technical word for a spinning mass of air or water; not all vortices are whirlwinds, but a whirlwind is a type of air vortex.)
Antonymes
calm (Refers to still air without wind, which is the opposite of a fast-spinning whirlwind.)
Collocations
a small whirlwind
|a dust whirlwind
|a desert whirlwind
|a whirlwind formed
|caught in a whirlwind
Thèmes
nature
|science
|weather
Exemples
- A small whirlwind spun across the field, lifting dust into the air.
- We watched a whirlwind of leaves dance down the street.
- The helicopter’s blades created a whirlwind that scattered papers everywhere.
- A sudden whirlwind formed over the hot road and disappeared a few seconds later.
- The campers saw a tiny whirlwind twist across the dry lakebed.
Exemples pédagogiques
- A whirlwind moved over the dry ground.
- The strong wind made a whirlwind of dust.
- We saw a whirlwind of leaves in the park.
- The plane’s engines made a whirlwind on the runway.
- A whirlwind formed and then died quickly.
Nom
C1
entity
4
Extremely energetic, fast-moving person
A very active person who moves and works very fast and with a lot of energy.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] is a whirlwind
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes think “whirlwind” must always be negative. When used for a person, it can be positive (energetic, effective) or negative (too intense, tiring), depending on context. The noun here refers to the person, not the weather event.
Synonymes
dynamo (Informally describes a person with a lot of energy and drive, similar to “whirlwind” but without the idea of sudden, chaotic movement.)
Antonymes
slouch (Informal term for someone slow, lazy, or lacking energy, opposite of an energetic “whirlwind.”)
Collocations
a whirlwind of energy
|a social whirlwind
|she is a whirlwind
|like a whirlwind
|a whirlwind in the kitchen
Thèmes
people
|personality
|daily_life
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- She’s a whirlwind in the kitchen, cooking three dishes at once.
- The new manager is a whirlwind of energy and ideas.
- He arrived like a whirlwind, changing the whole team’s routine in a week.
- Their toddler is a little whirlwind who never seems to get tired.
- As a host, he’s a social whirlwind, talking to everyone at the party.
Exemples pédagogiques
- My boss is a whirlwind at work.
- Their child is a whirlwind and runs all day.
- Our new teacher is a whirlwind of ideas.
- She is a whirlwind in the office every morning.
- He came into the room like a whirlwind and started talking fast.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
whirlwind
API
GB/wˈɚlwˌɪnd/
US/wˈɚlwˌɪnd/
Syllabes et accentuation
whirl - wind (2 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (whirl)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: whirlwind
- Plural: whirlwinds
Famille de mots
Forms
whirlwinds
noun
Core family
whirl
verb B2
Expressions
a whirlwind of activity
1/ə wˈɚlwˌɪnd əv æktˈɪvɪti/
idiom
Extremely busy, fast activity
A time or situation when many things are happening very fast.
Exemples
- The office was a whirlwind of activity on the day of the product launch.
- The kitchen turned into a whirlwind of activity before the guests arrived.
- The house was a whirlwind of activity as everyone packed for the trip.
a whirlwind of emotions
1/ə wˈɚlwˌɪnd əv ɪmˈoʊʃənz/
idiom
Many strong feelings quickly changing
A time when you feel many strong emotions one after another, very quickly.
Exemples
- After the accident, she went through a whirlwind of emotions.
- Winning the award brought a whirlwind of emotions he could hardly describe.
- He described the breakup as a whirlwind of emotions, from anger to relief.
a whirlwind tour
1/ə wˈɚlwˌɪnd tˈʊɹ/
idiom
Very quick, busy tour
A short trip where you see or do many things in a very short time.
Exemples
- We went on a whirlwind tour of the country’s main tourist spots.
- The band did a whirlwind tour of Europe before recording the album.
- Executives made a whirlwind tour of the company’s Asian offices.
a whirlwind visit
1/ə wˈɚlwˌɪnd vˈɪzɪt/
idiom
Very brief, busy visit
A very short visit where someone tries to do or see a lot in little time.
Exemples
- She made a whirlwind visit to her parents before flying back to London.
- The minister paid a whirlwind visit to the flood-hit region.
- During his whirlwind visit, he met local officials and business leaders.
in a whirlwind
1/ˈɪn ə wˈɚlwˌɪnd/
idiom
In a fast, confused rush
In a very busy or confused state, when many things are happening at the same time.
Exemples
- The team left the office in a whirlwind, rushing to catch the last train.
- Her thoughts were in a whirlwind after the sudden news.
- We finished the project in a whirlwind and sent it off just before midnight.
a whirlwind romance
1/ə wˈɚlwˌɪnd ɹoʊmˈæns/
idiom
A very fast love relationship
A romantic relationship that starts and develops very quickly.
Exemples
- They had a whirlwind romance and got married after just two months.
- It was a whirlwind romance that surprised everyone.
a whirlwind romance
2/ə wˈɚlwˌɪnd ɹoʊmˈæns/
idiom
Very fast, intense romance
A love relationship that starts and becomes serious very quickly, in a short time.
Exemples
- They had a whirlwind romance and got married after just three months.
- What started as a holiday fling turned into a whirlwind romance.
- The movie follows a whirlwind romance between two strangers in New York.