wham

[ hwam, wam ]

/ ʰwæm, wæm /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR wham ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a loud sound produced by an explosion or sharp impact: the wham of a pile driver.

a forcible impact.

interjection

(used as an exclamation suggestive of a loud slam, blow, or the like).

verb (used with or without object), whammed, wham·ming.

to hit or make a forcible impact, especially one producing a loud sound: The boat whammed into the dock. He whammed the door shut.

adverb

Also whammo. abruptly; with startling suddenness: The car ran wham up against the building.

Nearby words

Origin of wham

First recorded in 1730–40; imitative

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for wham

One day you reach down to pick up a bag, sleep in an awkward position, or fall on the street, and— WHAM— your back gets injured.
Is Your Chair Killing You? The Consequences of Comfort|Daniel E. Lieberman|October 14, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Sure, the standard carols and tracks by the likes of the Beach Boys, Wham!
Twelve Christmas Song Fails: John Travolta, Justin Bieber & More (VIDEO)|Kevin Fallon|December 10, 2012|DAILY BEAST
There’s Muslim-baiting imagery borrowed from 24 and an absurd ‘80s nostalgia sing-along that would make the boys from Wham!
The Top 10 Weirdest Campaign Ads|John Avlon|August 16, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Her pregnancy was heralded in the Sun with the headline “Wham Bam Sam Cam.”
Move Over, Michelle|Olivia Cole|May 12, 2010|DAILY BEAST

I stepped out between acts for a breath of fresh air, and wham, a sack over the head and here I am.
The Hell Ship|Raymond Alfred Palmer
Why he used to spell “who” wha, and “have” hae, and “whom” wham!
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 93., October 22, 1887|Various
Is his dochter Jeanie, wham ye intend for my mither's servant, like her father?
Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Vol. XX|Alexander Leighton
There was a sudden catastrophic whooshing roar and, wham, a tree took flame for roots.
A Feast of Demons|William Morrison
But considere also quod she in wham is blisfulnesse enhabite.
Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's 'De Consolatione Philosophiae'|Geoffrey Chaucer

British Dictionary definitions for wham

wham

/ (wæm) /

noun

a forceful blow or impact or the sound produced by such a blow or impact

interjection

an exclamation imitative of this sound

verb whams, whamming or whammed

to strike or cause to strike with great force

Word Origin for wham

C20: of imitative origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for wham

wham

"a heavy blow," 1923, of echoic origin.

wham

noun

interjection

verb (used with or without object), whammed, wham·ming.

adverb

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of wham

Examples from the Web for wham

British Dictionary definitions for wham

wham

noun

interjection

verb whams, whamming or whammed

Word Origin for wham

Word Origin and History for wham

wham