woo

verb

ˈwü 

wooed; wooing; woos

transitive verb

1

: to sue for the affection of and usually marriage with : court

2

: to solicit or entreat especially with importunity

woo new customers

3

: to seek to gain or bring about

intransitive verb

: to court a woman

wooer noun

Synonyms of woo

• invite
• seek

Examples of woo in a Sentence

The store had a sale in an effort to woo new customers.

The company must find creative ways to woo new employees.

Recent Examples on the Web

Skarsgård’s job as a piece of timber is to woo a real human woman. — Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026

The Sixpack offers a bit of an outstretched hand to try to woo those buyers back to the Dodge fold. — New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2026

Luca Guadagnino One of the best films of the 2010s, this drama stars Timothée Chalamet as a boy who discovers his own sexuality when he’s wooed by an older man, played by Armie Hammer. — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2026

The Oklahoma City Thunder employ the NBA’s largest operations staff from the league’s third-smallest market, and woo talent with distinctive offerings like concierge health care for players’ families. — Chris Park, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English wowen, from Old English wōgian

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing woo

• woo-hoo
• woo-woo

Rhymes for woo

• blew
• blue
• boo
• brew
• chew
• chou
• clue
• coo
• coup
• crew
• cue
• dew

Kids Definition

woo

verb

ˈwü 

1

: to try to gain the love of : court

2

: to seek to gain or bring about

political candidates wooing public support