shoo
Americaninterjection
verb (used with object)
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to drive away by saying or shouting “shoo.”
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to request or force (a person) to leave.
I'll have to shoo you out of here now.
verb (used without object)
interjection
verb
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(tr) to drive away by or as if by crying "shoo."
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(intr) to cry "shoo."
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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shoosimple
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shoossimple
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have shooedperfect
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has shooedperfect
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am shooingprogressive
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are shooingprogressive
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is shooingprogressive
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have been shooingperfect progressive
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has been shooingperfect progressive
Past
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shooedsimple
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had shooedperfect
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was shooingprogressive
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were shooingprogressive
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had been shooingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of shoo
1475–85; earlier showe, shough, shooh, ssou (interjection), imitative; compare German schu
Vocabulary lists containing shoo
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:
Numerous attempts to shoo them away, including Sampras batting his racquet at them, failed, and the match had to be suspended.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
He notes that security guards will often shoo you off if you use a tripod without advance approval, so it’s best to bring a handheld camera instead.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2026
Harbor staff try to ease them along to the 42 floats built to accommodate the creatures and they use big wooden panels, called herding boards, to gently shoo them away from the boat docks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 26, 2026
Most people are inclined to shoo flies away from food, and the thought of maggots in your bins is enough to make anyone's stomach turn.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2025
I stop and shoo them with my hands.
From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen
Chewbacca shoos the Porgs away so he can eat in peace.
From Salon ● Apr. 28, 2024
She shoos the thoughts away, like mosquitoes at dusk.
From New York Times ● Sep. 28, 2021
The guard occasionally shoos patrons away because it's a restricted area.
From Golf Digest ● Apr. 8, 2019
The softly spoken Cash, the chief clinical officer, has been sitting quietly in the corner of the cabin, and now she shoos the group off to complete chores before lunch.
From The Guardian ● Jun. 16, 2017
She motions at her head and shoos him off.
From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina
The man disappeared around a corner as security guards shooed the lawyer back to another room.
From Slate ● Oct. 10, 2025
After taking a few laps of the gore, it gets shooed away.
From Salon ● Mar. 26, 2024
The news crew had tried to appeal to Boonyarin by saying they had to fly back to Bangkok that night, but she shooed them off.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 20, 2023
The FBI had shooed McCarthy away from a different part of Dents Run a day earlier.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 6, 2023
She shooed away a hopeful rooster and it flapped back with a squawk.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
For over a month, the large, antlered visitor to Goodman Mountain has resisted all attempts at shooing him away or relocating him.
From Slate ● Jul. 18, 2025
It's a bit too early for a drink, though, so Sir Rod orders up a venti coffee, shooing away an over-eager assistant who attempts to stir in his sugar.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2025
He shouted out his words, not at all the joyful warrior of Harris-Walz fashion, but more like a cranky old man shooing kids off his lawn.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2024
Generally, the person who invited you to the party is responsible for connecting unfamiliar folks, but sometimes your host is uncorking bottles and shooing away mynah birds.
From Salon ● Nov. 22, 2023
“I can’t think about that right now,” she said, shooing me out of the room.
From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina
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.
