What does whooshing mean?
Whooshing describes something moving rapidly enough to produce a loud rushing sound. It is especially evocative when a person, vehicle, gust of wind, or other object passes quickly nearby, making the air seem to surge or roar. The word can also function attributively, as in “a whooshing sound,” to characterize the noise of such movement. Although the expression has a somewhat playful or literary tone, it is widely used in ordinary speech and descriptive writing. Its force comes partly from its vivid sound: “whoosh” itself imitates the rush of air, allowing the word to communicate speed as well as noise. Whooshing is therefore useful when both motion and sound matter, though it is less suitable than a neutral verb such as “moving” in formal or strictly factual contexts.
To move with a loud rushing sound, especially at high speed.
"The cyclist whooshed past the spectators."
Usually intransitive; the third-person singular is “whooshes” and the past tense is “whooshed.”
Characterized by a loud rushing sound of fast movement.
"They heard the whooshing sound of the plane overhead."
This is a participial adjective use, most commonly found before “sound” or when describing a visibly rapid movement.
Whoosh is an imitative sound word: it turns the roar of fast-moving air into motion on the page.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of whooshing
Whoosh is an English word formed in imitation of a loud rushing sound. Its precise first attestation is uncertain, but it developed as both a verb denoting rapid, noisy movement and a noun naming the sound itself. “Whooshing” is the present participle of the verb and also has a participial adjective use. The word does not have a well-established group of ancient-language cognates, so its imitative origin is its most secure historical explanation.
Related word forms
How whooshing is actually used
Whooshing is vivid and commonly informal. It suggests speed, force, and often a continuous rushing sound, though it can describe quieter, gentler movement when the context makes that clear.
Easily confused with whooshing
Whooshing describes rapid movement accompanied by a rushing sound, whereas hushing means making quiet or asking someone to be quiet.