oomph
Americannoun
-
energy; vitality; enthusiasm.
-
sex appeal.
noun
-
enthusiasm, vigour, or energy
-
sex appeal
Etymology
Origin of oomph
An Americanism dating back to 1935–40; imitative of the sound made during exertion, as in lifting a heavy object
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.
But acoustically they share Toyota’s genius for immediacy, transparency and sonic oomph that goes straight to the gut.
From Los Angeles Times
And so Tchaikovsky’s Fifth and Sixth Symphonies emerged more fully characterized than did the Fourth, though all were delivered with considerable oomph.
It can be stirred gently or with a bit more oomph.
More than seven minutes into No. 12 UCLA’s exhibition game against the Aztecs on Friday night, those fans were still clapping … with so little oomph that the gesture was barely audible.
From Los Angeles Times
Some of her own MPs have grumbled privately that she has lacked oomph and cut-through in her opening months in the job.
From BBC
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.
