wow

1 of 4

interjection

used to express strong feeling (such as pleasure or surprise)

wow

2 of 4

noun (1)

: a striking success : hit

wow

3 of 4

verb

wowed; wowing; wows

transitive verb

: to excite to enthusiastic admiration or approval
a performance that wowed the critics

wow

4 of 4

noun (2)

: a distortion in reproduced sound consisting of a slow rise and fall of pitch caused by speed variation in the reproducing system

Examples of wow in a Sentence

Verb Her performance wowed the critics.
Recent Examples on the Web
Interjection
Certain robots come ready to wow kids out of the box, while in the cases of other models, putting them together is part of the fun. Julie Evans, Parents, 12 Mar. 2024 Both Thailand and Philippines have seen major international music acts pass through recently and wow fans, including Coldplay. Kathleen Magramo, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 Few stocks embodied that wow factor like the $1.7 trillion AI chip giant Nvidia, which reported earnings on Wednesday, blowing analyst expectations out of the water. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 22 Feb. 2024 Here’s a deep dive into the medals that are sure to wow: Absolutely. John Leicester, USA TODAY, 8 Feb. 2024 These live performances in Vegas are sure to wow audiences of all ages. Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 12 Feb. 2024 In this spot, Affleck ropes in his friends (Damon and Brady) to wow Lopez with his boy band, the DunKings. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 12 Feb. 2024 Rainey’s music merges pow wow with experimental electronic production. Dustin Nelson, SPIN, 1 Feb. 2024 In Viejas, even the dirtiest possessions wow like a Picasso. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Feb. 2024
Noun
Moussaieff high jewelry earrings and an Omega watch added to the the wow factor. Jackie Fields, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 O’Brian, a real-life bodybuilder and Hapkido black belt and a former cop, packs more onscreen wow factor than any fantastical CG super suit. Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Swiatek has a way of sneaking up on the big prizes without a huge amount of the wow factor. Tim Ellis, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 A lot of times in fashion, the wow factor or the theatricality of a show can be in how someone creates volume. Laia Garcia-Furtado, Vogue, 15 Feb. 2024 The real wow factor, though, is a great room on the rear that’s flooded with natural light. Cynthia Billhartz Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2024 This arched full-length mirror will instantly add the wow factor to any room. Claire Rutter, Rolling Stone, 22 Jan. 2024 Other times as the action unfolded, there were cheers, wows, fidgeting as one character’s face is destroyed in an act of violence, and maybe a few laughs at unintended moments. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Jan. 2024 Each provides 1,195 square feet of wow factor, including a sizable outdoor terrace, lounge area and walk-in closet. David Dickstein, Hartford Courant, 14 Jan. 2024
Verb
Testers were wowed by the taste and froth of Rise’s shelf-stable oat milk, which saved them (and their wallets) a few trips to the coffee shop. Grace McCarty, SELF, 13 Mar. 2024 Then Oakland Tech’s standouts wowed the crowd with quick passes and electrifying finishes. Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2024 What an arc: from wowing the crowds in Vegas to shivving gladiators in a monochrome replica of Caesars Palace. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2024 Investors aren’t wowed, by Lionel Lim Law firm nearly got away with overbilling New York City double the hourly fee by asking ChatGPT to calculate the bill, by Christiaan Hetzner OpenAI’s Sora has left AI experts either enthused or skeptical. Kylie Robison, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2024 As the owner of the most electrifying move in sports entertainment history, The Rock knows a thing or two about wowing the crowd. Matias Grez, CNN, 9 Feb. 2024 Already, the worldwide tennis community was wowed by this desert event. Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024 Viking, though much smaller and less well known, has been wowing investors for the past year with its drug VK2735, which acts on two receptors like Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide. Daniel Gilbert, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2024 Wandering with your guide, you’ll be wowed by the Vaporia neighborhood that’s populated with grand manses once owned by ship captains. Jeanine Barone, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

imitative

First Known Use

Interjection

1513, in the meaning defined above

Noun (1)

1920, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1924, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1932, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wow was in 1513

Dictionary Entries Near wow

Cite this Entry

“Wow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wow. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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