used especially to express exasperation or dismay
Oy, what a mess.
Oy, what arrogance.
Oy, my feet are killing me.

Examples of oy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There’s the Richard Madden–shaped charisma hole at its center, the jokes that sink like cement shoes, and oy, more weightless CGI monster fights. Vulture, 14 Jan. 2022 But, oy, those last few episodes really jumped the hellhound. Andrew A. Smith Tribune News Service, Star Tribune, 22 Feb. 2021 Oy! See the star of The Book of Henry break down the best Australian and British slang. Vanity Fair, HWD, 13 June 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oy.' 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

Yiddish

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of oy was in 1892

Dictionary Entries Near oy

Cite this Entry

“Oy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oy. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

oy

interjection
used especially to express annoyance or dismay
oy, what a mess
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