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aw

1 American  
[aw] / ɔ /

interjection

  1. (used to express protest, disbelief, disgust, or commiseration.)

  2. (used to express sentimental or sugary approval.)

AW 2 American  

  1. Articles of War.

a.w. 3 American  
Or aw

abbreviation

  1. actual weight.

  2. (in shipping) all water.

  3. atomic weight.

aw 1 British  
/ ɔː /

determiner

  1. a variant spelling of a'

"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
aw 2 British  
/ ɔː /

interjection

  1. informal an expression of disapproval, commiseration, or appeal

"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
aw 3 British  

abbreviation

  1. Aruba

"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 aw

First recorded in 1850–55

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.

"From the minute he dropped his hood… I thought aw he's lovely, really nice person. I felt relaxed," said Rachel.

From BBC • Jan. 24, 2026

Dressed in jeans, fashionable sandals and a white T-shirt emblazoned with Andy Anaheim, the city’s cheery mascot, Rubalcava offered me an aw shucks grin.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2024

Some of the lines are more meta than others, with a character accusing Parton of stealing her man and Parton saying in her trademark, aw shucks tone, "I know people talk but I'm no witch."

From Salon • Dec. 7, 2022

“And I didn’t like it. And I was losing that joy in life. Like, the joy. I’m sorry right now, but, aw, dang, let me …”

From Washington Post • Sep. 26, 2021

“Aw, naw, aw, naw. You stop dat right now,” Walter objected.

From "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston

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.