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withdrawn; withdrew.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withdrawn; withdrew.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
abbreviation
-
week
-
weight
-
width
-
wife
-
with
-
cricket
-
wide
-
wicket
-
W.
2
British
abbreviation
-
Wales
-
Welsh
w
3
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
4
British
symbol
-
watt
-
West
-
physics work
-
chem tungsten
-
women's (size)
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
The barn w as big, but horses is horses.
From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson
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
Cooper told W that that her “really great dynamic” and communication with Kaplan helped change her views on tying the knot.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2026
US presidents have previously visited the compound too, including Barack Obama, George W Bush and Richard Nixon during his historic 1972 trip.
From BBC ● May 15, 2026
He straightened in his chair and stretched back, making a giant W with an arm up on either side of his head.
From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely
Rounds out mix w/ CH & SL, both w/ good shape.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2026
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
“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
The top of the mesa w as a flat deck of stone.
From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
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
Hay gold-plated Phi scissors, 9" l.; $40. nest.co.uk, 011-44-1225-461-409 Paola C. Tulip carafe by Aldo Cibic, 8" w. x 5" d. x 9.5" 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
Harvard’s Greg Mankiw, who led George W. Bush’s Council of Economic Advisers, is one of three on the panel studying how the Fed understands and responds to inflation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
The Obama and George W. Bush administrations together filed just eight petitions in 16 years.
From Salon ● Jul. 3, 2026
Larry W. King, the former husband of tennis legend Billie Jean King who partnered with her on the creation of the WTA Tour and ‘Battle of the Sexes,’ has died.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 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
Ms. W. got up, walked over to me, put her face next to my stunned and frozen one, and whispered, “Ida, I need your help.”
From "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan
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
Ultimately, I realized that taking control of my health and well-being was my job, and looking for Dr. W's replacement saved me.
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
“Be careful,” shouted Milo as the bug swung his cane again, catching the bee on the foot and knocking over the box of W’s.
From "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster
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
Making Vs into Ws, like vodka becoming wodka—that’s rarely the case.
From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2021
The boys wore white sweaters with big purple Ws emblazoned on them.
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
Anyway, sometimes o makes the ow sound even when the w’s not there, like in note.
From Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff
Dumas denied that claim, saying it ws unclear whether the new information would have had a meaningful impact on Alseranai’s trial.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 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
I still think its a stupid sport but this ws a good story.
From New York Times ● Mar. 27, 2016
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.
