boo
1 Americaninterjection
noun
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
noun
interjection
-
an exclamation uttered to startle or surprise someone, esp a child
-
a shout uttered to express disgust, dissatisfaction, or contempt, esp at a theatrical production, political meeting, etc
-
is extremely timid or diffident
verb
Usage
What else does boo mean? Boo is the sound we pretend ghosts make as well as a sound we make when we really don’t like something. Boo is also an affectionate term for one's significant other, similar to bae.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
boosimple
-
boossimple
-
have booedperfect
-
has booedperfect
-
am booingprogressive
-
are booingprogressive
-
is booingprogressive
-
have been booingperfect progressive
-
has been booingperfect progressive
Past
-
booedsimple
-
had booedperfect
-
was booingprogressive
-
were booingprogressive
-
had been booingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of boo1
First recorded in 1630–40; expressive formation
Origin of boo2
First recorded in 1955–60; of uncertain origin
Origin of boo3
1985–90; of uncertain origin; possibly an alteration of French beau “boyfriend, admirer”
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.
See Examples For:
You can’t really blame them if their response to the self-absorbed internal monologues of an unreliable narrator is, Oh, boo hoo.
From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026
Perhaps the organizers thought the crowd wouldn’t dare boo during a patriotic hymn.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
"Whatever anybody's belief or approach is, you don't boo somebody else because they don't have the same approach."
From BBC ● May 28, 2026
They grads are also primed to boo any speakers who so much as mutter the words “artificial intelligence.”
From Slate ● May 20, 2026
I wondered whether or not she had considered that the audience would boo her off the stage.
From "Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High" by Melba Pattillo Beals
That means there is little or no boos t from forced buying, unlike when a company is added to the S&P 500.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
When legislators saw one lone “nay,” from Andrade, loud boos filled the chamber.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026
There were loud boos for the pause during Sweden's 5-1 thrashing of Tunisia on Monday and Spain's goalless draw with Cape Verde on the same day, with that game played in the air-conditioned Atlanta Stadium.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
The crowd, which greeted Paul with boos before settling into sullen, begrudging applause when prodded, is fully prepared for a distraction.
From Slate ● Jun. 16, 2026
More jeering, whistling, catcalls, and scattered boos accompanied this unsportsmanlike conduct.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
Pogacar was booed by some fans during the Tour, as his performances are often so far ahead of any of his peers that some feel frustrated the sport is losing its competitive edge.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
He was booed by the crowd during the national anthems and again when he took the field with Infantino after the game for the awards ceremony.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
Residents have also criticized elected officials including Bass for their response to the blaze, and the mayor was booed during a community meeting Thursday night.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
On Monday night, footage appeared to show Marcus Mumford - lead singer of folk band Mumford & Sons - being booed during a gig at Fenway Park after jokingly blaming the rainy weather on Scotland.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
Two Negro teams were playing baseball and a crowd of spectators alternately booed and cheered their favorites.
From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin
When they haven’t been loudly booing, many fans have noticed that teams often appear to spend as much time strategizing during the pauses as they do hydrating.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
Hundreds of locals were waiting outside their hotel as the team coach arrived on Friday, with some chanting "Mexico" and others booing.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
When confronted with an undeniable fact — in this case, thousands of people booing a sitting president — the healthy human mind adjusts its understanding of reality.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
US rapper Travis Scott angered fans in Istanbul after a performance that barely lasted 20 minutes, with the audience booing as he left the stage early Monday, footage on social media showed.
From Barron's ● Jun. 1, 2026
"Do you think she knew they were booing her?"
From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins
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.
