noun
whiplash
WIHP-lash
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."
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
Word Forms
whiplashed past tense, whiplashes plural, whiplashes singular
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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.