vortex

/ˈvɔːteks/ (bre, ipa) · [vˈɔrtɛks] /ˈvɔːrteks/ (ame, ipa) · [vˈɔrtɛks] /ˈvȯr-ˌteks How to pronounce vortex (audio)/ (ame, mw)

vortex — noun

  • vortexsingular
  • vorticesplural

1. a fast-spinning column of gas or liquid that has a low-pressure centre and draws

1.名詞B2
釋義

a fast-spinning column of gas or liquid that has a low-pressure centre and draws nearby objects into it

例句

The fishing boat was pulled into a powerful vortex off the coast of Portugal.

Sofia watched a small vortex form in the bathtub as the water drained away.

a vortex + form in [location]

同義詞
  • whirlpool

    refers specifically to a vortex in water, especially in rivers or seas

  • maelstrom

    a much stronger, more dangerous whirlpool; used mainly in literary contexts

  • whirlwind

    a vortex in air, not water, and often implies a visible column of rotating wind

  • eddy

    a smaller, gentler circular current of air or water, often temporary

文法句型

a vortex + of + air/water/gas

a vortex + forms/develops + in + location

a vortex + pulls/draws + object + into + it

vortex + in + location

a vortex + of + substance

用法筆記

Countable noun. Commonly describes natural phenomena such as tornadoes, waterspouts, whirlpools, and dust devils. The object being pulled into the vortex is typically introduced with 'into' or 'toward'. Distinguish from sense 2, where the word refers to an abstract situation rather than a physical spinning mass.

常見錯誤

❌The water went down the vortex.
✅The water went down the drain in a vortex.
💡'vortex' describes the spinning motion itself, not the object that contains it.
❌They drove around the vortex.' (meaning a traffic circle)
✅They drove around the roundabout.
💡'vortex' is never used for ordinary circular routes or objects.

2. a harmful or unpleasant situation that keeps intensifying and draws you deeper i

2.名詞B2
釋義

a harmful or unpleasant situation that keeps intensifying and draws you deeper into it until escaping feels impossible

例句

Kabir was slowly drawn into a vortex of online arguments that consumed his evenings.

drawn into a vortex of [negative situation]

After the crash, Daichi's family was trapped in a vortex of hospital visits and paperwork.

同義詞
  • maelstrom

    a literary term for the same idea, suggesting even greater intensity and chaos

  • turmoil

    focuses on confusion and disorder rather than the feeling of being trapped

  • whirlwind

    suggests a fast-moving, chaotic series of events with less emphasis on entrapment

反義詞
  • calm

    a state of peace and quiet, the opposite of intense activity or emotion

  • stillness

    the absence of movement or disturbance

文法句型

a vortex + of + negative-noun

caught in a vortex

drawn/sucked/pulled into a vortex

trapped in a vortex

a vortex + of + activity/emotion/events

用法筆記

Always metaphorical. The noun that follows 'vortex of' is almost always negative — problems, violence, despair, controversy, debt. Subject is usually a person or group that cannot easily withdraw. Frequently paired with verbs implying involuntary entry: 'sucked into', 'drawn into', 'trapped in', 'caught in'.

常見錯誤

❌The party created a vortex of joy and laughter.
✅The party created an atmosphere of joy and laughter.
💡'vortex' is almost exclusively negative in its figurative use; positive situations use other words.
❌I fell into a vortex of love.
✅I fell into a vortex of doubt and confusion.
💡The metaphorical vortex implies being trapped in something unpleasant, not a pleasant experience.