tailwind

/ˈteɪlwɪnd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈteɪlwɪnd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈtāl-ˌwind How to pronounce tailwind (audio)/ (ame, mw)

tailwind — noun

  • tailwindsingular
  • tailwindsplural

1. air moving from behind a person or vehicle that is travelling, pushing forward w

1.名詞B1
釋義

air moving from behind a person or vehicle that is travelling, pushing forward with them and making their progress faster.

例句

Rachid and his team enjoyed a strong tailwind that pushed their boat toward the finish.

tailwind + verb (enjoyed / pushed)

The Denver-bound flight had a strong tailwind and arrived forty minutes early.

同義詞
反義詞
  • headwind

    the direct opposite — wind from the front that slows progress

文法句型

a + tailwind

tailwind + verb

用法筆記

Often used in aviation, sailing, and cycling to describe favourable wind conditions. The opposite — a wind blowing from the front — is called a headwind.

常見錯誤

The tailwind blew against us so we went slower.
The headwind blew against us so we went slower.
💡tailwind comes from behind and helps speed; headwind comes from the front and slows you down.

2. something that helps a person, business, or economy move forward more easily, su

2.名詞B2
釋義

something that helps a person, business, or economy move forward more easily, such as favourable market conditions or helpful government policies.

例句

Low interest rates gave the housing market a strong tailwind throughout the year.

figurative tailwind in economics

Liam's export business grew quickly thanks to a tailwind from new trade agreements.

同義詞
  • boost

    more general, not restricted to economics

  • advantage

    broader; can refer to any beneficial condition

  • impetus

    more formal, suggests a pushing force

反義詞
  • headwind

    used figuratively in the same domains to mean a factor that hinders progress

文法句型

a + tailwind

tailwind from + noun phrase

tailwind for + noun phrase

用法筆記

Common in business and financial journalism. The plural form tailwinds is frequently used when multiple favourable factors are at work.

3. a period of weeks or months after a specific event during which its positive eff

3.名詞C1
釋義

a period of weeks or months after a specific event during which its positive effects continue to help a person, business, or economy move forward.

例句

The hotel chain is still enjoying a tailwind from last year's international conference.

tailwind from [event] — post-event period

Charlotte said the tailwind from the product launch lasted longer than expected.

同義詞
  • afterglow

    more informal, suggests a warm positive feeling rather than measurable effects

  • momentum

    focuses on the ongoing force rather than the time period

文法句型

a + tailwind + from + noun phrase

tailwind + verb (faded, lasted)

用法筆記

Unlike sense 2, which describes a general favourable condition or factor (such as low interest rates or supportive policies) that may exist independently of any single triggering event, this sense always anchors to a specific event and names the temporal window of its lingering positive effects. The event must be identifiable — for example, a conference, a product launch, or a stimulus package.