whew

American  

[hwyoo] / ʰwju /

interjection

1. (a whistling exclamation or sound expressing astonishment, dismay, relief, etc.)

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noun

1. an utterance of “whew.”

whew British  

/ hwjuː /

interjection

1. an exclamation or sharply exhaled breath expressing relief, surprise, delight, etc

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Etymology

Origin of whew

First recorded in 1505–15; imitative

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

whew

But whew boy, the situation is even worse than early reporting implied!

From Slate ● Jun. 9, 2023

“He’s been working for, whew, a long time, countless amounts of hours, rehab, in the gym, in the weight room. And I’m excited for him to get back.”

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 6, 2022

It was like, whew, because that stuff can wear on you after time.

From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2021

Being that upfront that early is, well, more of an “oh dear” than a whew, but change isn’t stubborn; like being in a state of play, it comes from being vulnerable.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2021

I didn’t even see Augustus come upstairs, but he came over and wiped his brow with the back of his hand like whew and said, “You’re a champion.”

From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green