adjective
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dazed or confused
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experiencing dizziness, nausea, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of woozy
An Americanism first recorded in 1895–1900; perhaps short for boozy-woozy, rhyming compound based on boozy
Explanation
If you're feeling dizzy and a little bit sick, you can say you're woozy. You're going to feel slightly woozy after you get your wisdom teeth removed, so be sure to have someone drive you home and look after you. Woozy was first recorded in the 1890s as being student slang, used to mean "foolish or behind the times" and occasionally (and confusingly) "delightful." Soon after this, the current meaning of "muddled or dazed" appeared in informal North American speech. Feel free to use it for anyone who's lightheaded or dazed: "She felt woozy on the beach from all that sun."
Vocabulary lists containing woozy
Crash
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Lawn Boy
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Compound Fracture
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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.
Next Thing: In the new year, she’ll join the band Still Woozy on tour.
From New York Times • Dec. 25, 2021
Woozy tracks such as the Bad Bunny-led “Krippy Kush” and Chris Jeday’s collaboration “Ahora Dice” reflected the hedonistic, tough-talking world of male rappers that, until recently, featured few female collaborators.
From Washington Post • Feb. 28, 2019
Woozy, Sierra stepped back a few paces as the other throng haint charged her.
From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older
"We will have to go back, I suppose," said the Woozy with a sigh.
From The Lost Princess of Oz by Baum, L. Frank (Lyman Frank)
"You may try it, if you like," said the Woozy to the Lion.
From The Lost Princess of Oz by Neill, John R. (John Rea)
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.
