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.
Owen landed on his back with an oomph that took his breath away, and he slid to a stop.
From Literature
The first-round of the playoffs usually produces a bunch of mismatches that lack oomph.
Because the teams have identical records, it “just puts a little more oomph” on the game, Rams safety Kamren Kinchens said.
From Los Angeles Times
As she tells it, the special oomph that soy sauce adds to a bake is, in a word, umami.
From Salon
But acoustically they share Toyota’s genius for immediacy, transparency and sonic oomph that goes straight to the gut.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
