wow

[ wou ]

/ waʊ /

Informal.

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See synonyms for: wow / wowed / wowing on Thesaurus.com

interjection

(an exclamation of surprise, wonder, pleasure, or the like): Wow! Look at that!

verb (used with object)

to gain an enthusiastic response from; thrill.

noun

an extraordinary success: His act is a real wow.

excitement, interest, great pleasure, or the like: a car that will add some wow to your life.

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Origin of wow

1890–95; perhaps identical with Scots wow! exclamation of surprise or admiration

Words nearby wow

wourali, wove, woven, wove paper, Wovoka, wow, wow factor, wowser, Wozniak, WP, WPA

Other definitions for wow (2 of 2)

wow²

[ wou ]

/ waʊ /

noun

Audio. a slow wavering of pitch in sound recording or reproducing equipment caused by uneven speed of the turntable or the tape.Compare flutter (def. 12).

Scot. and North England Dialect. a howl, wail, bark, whine, or mew.

verb (used without object)

Scot. and North England Dialect. to howl, wail, bark, whine, or mew.

Origin of wow

1800–10 for defs. 2, 3; 1930–35 for def. 1; imitative; the audio term is probably an independent formation

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use wow in a sentence

The new image is valuable for much more than its wow factor.
Scientists Learn More About the History of Stars in Latest Webb Telescope Images|Jeffrey Kluger|August 4, 2022|Time
There are a ton of amazing options out there and we feel confident that your next WoW session will leave you feeling fired up and in control with a brand new, ergonomically designed, programmable mouse in hand.
Best gaming mouse: What to look for when buying this accessory|Carsen Joenk|November 22, 2021|Popular-Science
If you want an eco-friendly gift for someone in the “wow what the heck do I get this person” category, consider a gift card to an establishment like the Package Free Store.
Passive-aggressive gifts that are also good for the planet|Rachel Feltman|November 17, 2021|Popular-Science
In California, Bow Wow Bungalow grew its staff by 30 percent over the summer to accommodate new customers.
At doggie day care, a pandemic puppy spends his first day without mom and dad|Emily Davies|July 29, 2021|Washington Post

Just like with 2019's launch of WoW Classic, anyone who pays for an ongoing WoW subscription will get full access to WoW Burning Crusade at no additional cost.
World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade re-returns on June 1, requires “cloning”|Sam Machkovech|May 6, 2021|Ars Technica
I just recently rewatched all six Star Wars movies the other day… Oh wow, from the beginning?
Patton Oswalt on Fighting Conservatives With Satire|William O’Connor|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It made a big impact on him and he realized, “Wow, there really is a Santa, at least in the hearts of some people.”
Kerry Bentivolio: The Congressman Who Believes in Santa Claus|Ben Jacobs|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But while the GoPro is impressive by itself, it has some serious wow factor when combined with a drone.
Why Every Home Needs a Drone This Holiday|Charlie Gilbert|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And then I saw the trailer to Nightcrawler and texted him again and said, “Wow, you inspire me every day.”
Anna Kendrick on Feminism, #GamerGate, and the Celebrity Hacking Attack|Marlow Stern|November 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was like ‘Wow, I can do whatever I like,’ and I did, and it became routine.
Daniel Radcliffe: I’m Richer Than One Direction|Tim Teeman|October 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There was a grand "pow-wow," as William called it, after he came.
The Banner Boy Scouts on a Tour|George A. Warren
Among the neighboring Cherokees, was one named Silouee, celebrated as a chief and pow-wow, or medicine man.
The Indian: On the Battle-Field and in the Wigwam|John Frost
A special class of legends that have been evolved in Slavic countries are those that tell of the Lamed-wow-niks.
The History of Yiddish Literature in the Nineteenth Century|Leo Wiener
The chief difficulty in a "pow-wow" of this nature was that the balance of argument was invariably on the side of the Indian.
The Phantom of the River|Edward S. Ellis
"I'm going over to Mrs. Bow Wow's house to see if I can find the puppy dogs," he said.
Lulu, Alice and Jimmie Wibblewobble|Howard R. Garis

British Dictionary definitions for wow (1 of 3)

wow¹

/ (waʊ) /

interjection

an exclamation of admiration, amazement, etc

noun

slang a person or thing that is amazingly successful, attractive, etc

verb

(tr) slang to arouse great enthusiasm in

Word Origin for wow

C16: originally Scottish, expressive of surprise, amazement, etc

British Dictionary definitions for wow (2 of 3)

wow²

/ (waʊ, wəʊ) /

noun

a slow variation or distortion in pitch that occurs at very low audio frequencies in sound-reproducing systems, such as a record player, usually due to variation in speed of the turntable, etcSee also flutter (def. 14)

Word Origin for wow

C20: of imitative origin

British Dictionary definitions for wow (3 of 3)

WOW

abbreviation for

waiting on weather: used esp in the oil industry

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

wow

Origin of wow

Words nearby wow

Other definitions for wow (2 of 2)

Origin of wow

Words related to wow

How to use wow in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for wow (1 of 3)

Word Origin for wow

British Dictionary definitions for wow (2 of 3)

Word Origin for wow

British Dictionary definitions for wow (3 of 3)