tailwind

noun

tail·​wind ˈtāl-ˌwind 

plural tailwinds

1

: a wind having the same general direction as a course of movement (as of an aircraft)

2

: a force or influence that advances progress toward an improved condition

… the strengthening housing market should be providing tailwinds for home improvement retailers.

—Katherine Peralta

Medicare reform is a thorny problem even when the political tailwinds are favorable.

—Russ Wiles

Examples of tailwind in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The analyst added that underlying industry tailwinds could also boost WEX’s businesses, benefiting its stock. —Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026

Along with the costs, Kenney highlighted tighter trucking supply as a tailwind to freight conversions. —Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 24 Apr. 2026

Oil and gas volatility could be a tailwind for the first-ever summit of its kind, which starts Friday in the city of Santa Marta. —Fabiano Maisonnave, Bloomberg, 24 Apr. 2026

For Zima, the AI wave is Omni’s tailwind. —Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tailwind

• chagrined
• crosswind
• downwind
• rescind
• upwind
• whirlwind
• woodwind
• finned
• ginned
• grinned
• pinned
• sinned

Kids Definition

tail wind

noun

: a wind having the same general direction as the course of a moving object (as an aircraft)