Whisk — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈ(h)wisk/

Meaning & Definition of Whisk

Whisk (noun)

  1. a quick light brushing or whipping motion
  2. a usually wire kitchen utensil used for beating food by hand
  3. a flexible bunch (as of twigs, feathers, or straw) attached to a handle for use as a brush

Whisk (verb)

  1. to move nimbly and quickly
  2. to move or convey briskly
  3. to mix or fluff up by or as if by beating with a whisk

Whisk (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a quick jerky movement from side to side or up and down

    "with a whisk of the broom, the dirt was gone"

    similar: swish, switch, wag, waggle
    related: oscillation, rock, sway, swing, waver, flap, flutter, wave, whip, flick, jerk, jolt, snap, twitch, jiggle, shake, wiggle, bob, nod

Whisk (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to cause to move or proceed fast or faster

    "the museum guide kept whisking us along, telling us there was much more we had to see"

    similar: accelerate, bundle, fast-track, hasten, hurry, quicken, rush, speed (up)
    related: drive, goad, prod, propel, push, race, spur, stir, urge, aid, dispatch, ease, encourage, expedite, facilitate
    opposite: brake, decelerate, retard, slow (down)
    near: delay, encumber, fetter, hamper, hinder, hobble, hold back, hold up, impede, interfere (with), manacle, rein (in), restrain, shackle, tie up, trammel, arrest, check, stall, stay, still, stop

  2. to move or proceed smoothly and readily

    "now that the highway has been widened, traffic just whisks along"

    similar: bowl, breeze, brush, coast, cruise, drift, flow, glide, roll, sail, skim, slide, slip, stream, sweep
    related: fly, race, rush, speed
    opposite: flounder, struggle
    near: limp, lumber, plod, stumble, trudge, shamble, shuffle, stamp, stomp, stump, tramp, labor, toil

  3. to proceed or move quickly

    "whisked through the crowd and delivered the urgent message"

    similar: barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bomb (slang), bowl, breeze, bundle, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, career, chase, course, crack (on), dash, drive, fly, hare, hasten, hie, highball, hotfoot (it), hump, hurl, hurry, hurtle, hustle, jet, jump, motor, nip, pelt, race, ram, rip, rocket, run, rush, rustle, scoot, scurry, scuttle, shoot, speed, step, tear, travel, trot, whirl, zip, zoom, beat it, get a move on, make tracks, shake a leg, step on it
    related: beetle, dart, flit, scamper, scud, scuffle, stampede, streak, whiz, gallop, jog, sprint, accelerate, quicken, step out, catch up, fast-forward, outpace, outrun, outstrip, overtake, arrow, beeline
    opposite: crawl, creep, poke
    near: dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, hang (around or out), lag, linger, loiter, poke, tarry, amble, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stroll, decelerate, slow (down or up)

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Whisk

The most common words with a similar meaning to Whisk:

Slang: bomb
swish, switch, wag, waggle, accelerate, bundle, fast-track, hasten, hurry, quicken, rush, speed (up), bowl, breeze, brush, coast, cruise, drift, flow, glide, roll, sail, skim, slide, slip, stream, sweep, barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, career, chase, course

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Whisk

Words with the opposite meaning of Whisk:

brake, decelerate, retard, slow (down), flounder, struggle, crawl, creep, poke

Related Words for Whisk

oscillation, rock, sway, swing, waver, flap, flutter, wave, whip, flick, jerk, jolt, snap, twitch, jiggle, shake, wiggle, bob, nod, goad, prod, propel, push, spur, stir, urge, aid, dispatch, ease, encourage

Near Antonyms of Whisk

delay, encumber, fetter, hamper, hinder, hobble, hold back, hold up, impede, interfere (with), manacle, rein (in), restrain, shackle, tie up, trammel, arrest, check, stall, stay, still, stop, limp, lumber, plod, stumble, trudge, shamble, shuffle, stamp

Word Forms of Whisk

Inflections: whisked, whisking, whisks

Origin & Etymology of Whisk

Middle English wisk, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse visk wisp; akin to Old English wiscian to plait

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Whisk

whisk broom, fly whisk

Frequently Asked Questions about Whisk

What does "Whisk" mean?

"Whisk" means a quick light brushing or whipping motion. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a quick light brushing or whipping motion. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Whisk"?

Other words for "Whisk" include swish, switch, wag, waggle, accelerate, bundle, fast-track and hasten. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Whisk" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Whisk"?

There are 134 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Whisk". Common alternatives include swish, switch, wag, waggle, accelerate, bundle, fast-track, hasten, hurry and quicken.

What is the opposite of "Whisk"?

Antonyms of "Whisk" include brake, decelerate, retard, slow (down), flounder, struggle, crawl and creep. Near antonyms include delay, encumber, fetter and hamper.

How do you use "Whisk" in a sentence?

Examples of "Whisk" in a sentence: "with a whisk of the broom, the dirt was gone"; "the museum guide kept whisking us along, telling us there was much more we had to see"; "now that the highway has been widened, traffic just whisks along".

Is "Whisk" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Whisk" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Whisk"?

"Whisk" is pronounced /ˈ(h)wisk/.

What is the origin of the word "Whisk"?

"Whisk" comes from Middle English wisk, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse visk wisp; akin to Old English wiscian to plait. First known use: 14th century.