whoa

[hwoh, woh]

interjection

stop! (used especially to horses).

Origin of whoa

First recorded in 1615–25; dialectal variant of ho²

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for whoa

Contemporary Examples

One can only assume the hangover cries: “whoa, who did I vote for last night?”
Founding Fathers Loved Drunk Voters
Kevin Bleyer
November 1, 2014
She then warns Russia to leave Ukraine alone, to which “Putin” replies, "Whoa, hey Capt. Buzzkill!"
Jimmy Fallon's Surprising Centrist Style
Joe Concha
April 7, 2014
But when he comes across ScarJo, who says, “Whoa, whoa, whoa: no sex before monogamy”—which is my role—he has to pay the toll.
‘Millionaire Matchmaker’s’ Patti Stanger On ‘Don John,’ Porn Addiction, and Relationships
Patti Stanger
September 29, 2013
It came out right as I was about to graduate and I think people were like, “Whoa, maybe she was pretty!”
Heather Graham on ‘The Hangover Part III,’ Roles for Women, and More
Marlow Stern
May 24, 2013
Plus, I love the idea that when Jughead finds out Kevin's gay, his reaction isn't, 'Whoa, that's weird!'
Archie Comics Character Comes Out
Barbara Spindel
August 30, 2010

Historical Examples

When we got where the critter's legs touched bottom, Becky remarks: "Whoa!"
Cape Cod Stories
Joseph C. Lincoln
Colonel Briggs, as his men called him, suddenly shouted “Whoa!”
A Waif of the Mountains
Edward S. Ellis
“Whoa, Pardner,” sang out Rhodes, back of them as he slid out of the saddle.
The Treasure Trail
Marah Ellis Ryan
"Whoa, boy," he soothed, patting the animal gently on the neck.
The Pony Rider Boys in Texas
Frank Gee Patchin
But just as we had got under it, Addison said, "Whoa," and old Sol stopped short.
When Life Was Young
C. A. Stephens

British Dictionary definitions for whoa

whoa

interjection

a command used esp to horses to stop or slow down

Word Origin

C19: variant of ho 1

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 whoa

1620s, a cry to call attention from a distance, a variant of who. As a command to stop a horse, it is attested from 1843, a variant of ho. As an expression of delight or surprise (1980s) it has gradually superseded wow, which was very popular 1960s.

whoa

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}whoa

Examples from the Web for whoa

Contemporary Examples

One can only assume the hangover cries: “whoa, who did I vote for last night?”

She then warns Russia to leave Ukraine alone, to which “Putin” replies, "Whoa, hey Capt. Buzzkill!"

But when he comes across ScarJo, who says, “Whoa, whoa, whoa: no sex before monogamy”—which is my role—he has to pay the toll.

It came out right as I was about to graduate and I think people were like, “Whoa, maybe she was pretty!”

Plus, I love the idea that when Jughead finds out Kevin's gay, his reaction isn't, 'Whoa, that's weird!'

Historical Examples

When we got where the critter's legs touched bottom, Becky remarks: "Whoa!"

Colonel Briggs, as his men called him, suddenly shouted “Whoa!”

“Whoa, Pardner,” sang out Rhodes, back of them as he slid out of the saddle.

"Whoa, boy," he soothed, patting the animal gently on the neck.

But just as we had got under it, Addison said, "Whoa," and old Sol stopped short.

whoa

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for whoa

Origin of whoa