Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

hey

American  
[hey] / heɪ /

interjection

  1. (used as an exclamation to call attention or to express pleasure, surprise, bewilderment, etc.)

  2. Informal. hello: used as a greeting.

hey British  
/ heɪ /

interjection

  1. an expression indicating surprise, dismay, discovery, etc, or calling for another's attention

  2. an exclamation used for emphasis at the end of a statement, or alone to seek repetition or confirmation of another person's statement

  3. an exclamation used by conjurors to herald the climax of a trick

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of hey

1150–1200; Middle English hei

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Copeland: Hey, Stanley, how about this for a definition of jazz?

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

Each begins with "Hey, it's Taylor" and announces the release of her latest album, "The Life of a Showgirl," which was released in early October.

From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026

The jukebox-themed opener of “Happy Days” didn’t have to announce, Hey, this is a sitcom about the ’50s!

From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026

“Like, Hey, this is new, this is different, why don’t we know about this?”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

“Oh. Hey, man, I’m sorry. I didn’t know. She gonna be okay?”

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.