English Reference
Idiom idiom

reap the whirlwind

Meaning

To suffer bad consequences for one's actions.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Examples
SIMPLE

“If you lie to everyone, you will eventually reap the whirlwind.”

CONTEXTUAL

“He ignored all the warnings about his risky investments and is now starting to reap the whirlwind.”

COMPLEX

“By systematically dismantling the company's ethical standards for short-term profit, the board of directors has ensured they will soon reap the whirlwind of public outrage.”

Anchors to
Related idioms2entries
  1. 01

    reap the harvest

    To receive the rewards of something to one's efforts; get out what one puts in.

  2. 02

    reap what one sows

    To receive as a return or reward in the same measure as one's exertions or intentions, in a good or a bad sense; to receive justice or one's just deserts.

Last updated August 10, 2026