w
abbreviation
watt; watts.
w
1 Americanabbreviation
-
watt; watts.
-
withdrawn; withdrew.
-
withheld.
W
2
American
[duhb-uhl-yoo, -yoo, duhb-yuh]
/ ˈdʌb əlˌju, -jʊ, ˈdʌb jə /
Or
w
noun
W's,
plural
Ws,
plural
w's,
plural
ws
plural
-
the 23rd letter of the English alphabet, a semivowel.
-
any spoken sound represented by the letter W or w, as in way, bewitch, or row.
-
something having the shape of a W .
-
a written or printed representation of the letter W or w.
-
a device, as a printer's type, for reproducing the letter W or w.
W
3
American
abbreviation
-
watt; watts.
-
west.
-
western.
-
white.
-
wide.
-
widowed.
-
width.
-
withdrawn; withdrew.
-
withheld.
W
4
American
w/
5
American
abbreviation
w.
6
American
abbreviation
-
warden.
-
warehouse.
-
water.
-
watt; watts.
-
week; weeks.
-
weight.
-
west.
-
western.
-
wide.
-
width.
-
wife.
-
with.
-
won.
-
Physics. work.
W.
7
American
abbreviation
-
Wales.
-
warden.
-
warehouse.
-
Washington.
-
watt; watts.
-
Wednesday.
-
weight.
-
Welsh.
-
west.
-
western.
-
width.
-
Physics. work.
W
1
British
symbol
-
watt
-
West
-
physics work
-
chem tungsten
-
women's (size)
w
2
British
/ ˈdʌbəlˌjuː /
noun
-
the 23rd letter and 18th consonant of the modern English alphabet
-
a speech sound represented by this letter, in English usually a bilabial semivowel, as in web
W.
3
British
abbreviation
-
Wales
-
Welsh
w.
4
British
abbreviation
-
week
-
weight
-
width
-
wife
-
with
-
cricket
-
wide
-
wicket
-
w
Scientific
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of W
W 3 def. 3 from German Wolfram wolfram
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:
Romano’s Macaroni Grill is offering Spaghetti & Meatballs w/ Pomodoro Sauce on its Feb. 14th menu.
From Salon ● Feb. 14, 2026
One commenter wrote: "can someone explain to me what is up w my search recs pls?"
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2025
Early this morning, HSI Los Angeles w/ @EROLosAngeles & partners from the El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force conducted an enforcement operation in an underground nightclub.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 30, 2025
“Never eaten here but it’s getting five stars from me because Kendrick is the GOAT! From California w/ Love,” wrote one Yelp reviewer.
From New York Times ● May 6, 2024
With some of my w ages, I would bring home a dress pattern for my mother.
From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson
Former Presidents George W Bush, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden were introduced ahead of the Obamas during the celebratory event.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
As Europe pushes for more tech sovereignty, social network W believes it has the X-factor to win users away from other platforms: it's European.
From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026
Ex-NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg got a lapful of Knicks sparkplug Jose Alvarado, Walt Frazier and Patrick Ewing got the biggest Jumbotron cheers of the night, and San Antonio got a critical W.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026
Amid her rise to fame, Cooper struck up her connection with Kaplan in 2020 on a business Zoom call and began dating shortly after, according to W magazine.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2026
A new inmate arrived on W from the psych unit with one arm and no mattress—I’d have to make a few calls to straighten that one out.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
Romano’s Macaroni Grill is offering Spaghetti & Meatballs w/ Pomodoro Sauce on its Feb. 14th menu.
From Salon ● Feb. 14, 2026
One commenter wrote: "can someone explain to me what is up w my search recs pls?"
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2025
The university’s “leadership must do everything they can to avoid creating a violent scenario here. These are your students w/ zero weapons,” Khan said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 16, 2024
“Never eaten here but it’s getting five stars from me because Kendrick is the GOAT! From California w/ Love,” wrote one Yelp reviewer.
From New York Times ● May 6, 2024
Clerk, Special Duties, clk/sd for short, like w/ op is for Wireless Operator and Y for wireless.
From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein
The same seller, also listed a "hand-signed Christmas Card from 2002 featuring photo of the King w. Princes William & Harry", whose current bid is for 160 pounds.
From Reuters ● Sep. 12, 2022
Chef Julia Child posing w. assorted rolling pins.
From Salon ● Apr. 2, 2022
Snowy Owl, after John James Audubon, hand-colored engraving by Robert Havell, sheet size 26" w. x 38.75" h.;
From Architectural Digest ● Feb. 9, 2015
Rose & Fitzgerald Cow Horn whiskey tumblers, 3" w. x 4" h.;
From Architectural Digest ● Dec. 1, 2014
“I know that! But I’ve seen it a hundred times. I wouldn’t spell Quest with a w. I know it’s a w.”
From "Free Lunch" by Rex Ogle
Franklin D. Roosevelt after Pearl Harbor, Lyndon B. Johnson after the Gulf of Tonkin and George W. Bush after 9/11 all sought congressional approval for war or wider military action.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
It held a celebrity exhibition match between Sam Snead and Arnold Palmer and hosted George H. W. Bush for a fundraiser.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
The Obama and George W. Bush administrations together filed just eight petitions in 16 years.
From Salon ● Jul. 3, 2026
“I‘m very concerned about it,” said Richard Painter, a University of Minnesota law professor who served as the chief ethics attorney in President George W. Bush’s White House.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026
The day after the Russian banner first appeared, the new District of Columbia police superintendent, Raymond W. Pullman, visited Alice Paul.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
Players, meanwhile, can’t help but see the W’s upward track and argue a substantial raise is due.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2025
There are two L’s in Collin and there are also two W’s — as in major championship victories at the 2020 PGA Championship and 2021 British Open.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2025
Over a few talk sessions, I chronicled Dr. W's transgression, assuming Dr. Thakkar would take my side.
From Salon ● Aug. 10, 2024
“It’s time to start cashing in on W’s, and I think we have the group that can do it.”
From Washington Times ● Oct. 9, 2023
They'd known each other forever to say "W's up" and stuff, but they didn't start hanging till Newcharlie came home from Rahway.
From "Miracle's Boys" by Jacqueline Woodson
The deflated expression on his face is priceless when he advises his lost “reporters” to rely on the Five Ws of reporting, and one asks, “Is that a gang?”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2025
The dual backdrops — both featuring gold block Ws and assorted sponsorships — were identical in every way but one:
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 7, 2024
I can think of the acronym as the five Ws, if you will.
From The Verge ● Mar. 22, 2022
"We had an opportunity to win today. … That’s something we want to do. That’s the next goal in the next few games is to hopefully get both of those Ws."
From Fox News ● Oct. 2, 2021
A handful of older boys were there too, leaning against the building in white jerseys emblazoned with large purple Ws, their arms crossed, sizing up the newcomers.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
Finally, ties were broken based on things like which word was the most fun to say or whether any of the word choices included especially cool letters like z’s or w’s.
From Slate ● Sep. 2, 2015
This time round, after Mat Latos tore knee cartilage before the season began, Simon moved into the rotation, racked up a dozen w's and has posted an ERA of 2.70.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 10, 2014
Patrick’s breathing had become even more labored and Dr. Nadas said, “Welton, we go see the president” — his Hungarian accent turning the w’s into v’s.
From New York Times ● Jul. 29, 2013
For future copy editors of academic histories of mass media, that's two syllables, hyphen optional, and three w's, not in a row.
From Time ● Feb. 18, 2010
"You know, just talk. Say w's up. Ask him how his life is going. What kind of things he likes to do. Stuff like that."
From "Miracle's Boys" by Jacqueline Woodson
That came after the woman ws seen leaving her home and taking a city bus to a local casino, the filing said.
From New York Times ● Jun. 2, 2023
On stage ws a comic who looked like an inflated ex-middleweight fighter.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 6, 2017
Nordstrom issued a statement Wednesday reiterating its decision ws based on business, not politics.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 8, 2017
Manning ws in a men's prison for 7 yrs.
From Time ● Jan. 17, 2017
It hes liket God of his great gudnes to have send unto us, this 22 day of May instant, ane sone and Prince, fair and lillik to succeid to ws and this our Realme.
From The Works of John Knox, Vol. 1 (of 6) by Laing, David
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.
