whew

noun \ often read as ˈhwü , ˈwü , ˈhyü ; the interjection is a whistle concluded with a voiceless ü \

Definition of whew

:a whistling sound or a sound like a half-formed whistle uttered as an exclamation

gave a long whew when he realized the size of the job

—used interjectionally chiefly to express amazement, discomfort, or relief

Recent Examples of whew from the Web

But, whew, our hottest day of the summer (so far) is behind us!

— a. camden walker, Washington Post, "D.C.-area forecast: Very toasty before big storms threaten late today, a less-sweaty weekend," 14 July 2017
On the drive home, looking in the rearview mirror and seeing your child in the back seat in a car seat, whew.

— andy staples, SI.com, "Bret Bielema is more anxious about being a new dad than closing the gap with Alabama," 10 July 2017
Yep, the cover is removable and machine washable (whew).

— lauren smith, House Beautiful, "People Are Declaring This the World's Best Dog Bed," 21 June 2017
To continue the student analogy, California is now the kind of kid who can, with effort, improve his grade from a low C- or D+ to an A. Whew.

— catharine hamm, latimes.com, "Good news, travelers: Your new California driver's license may be golden in the coming years for airport security," 5 June 2017
Canada, Colombia, the United States, Hungary, Lebanon, Israel, Russia, Mexico and, whew, Singapore.

— mary winston nicklin, CNN, "World's best bartender Jennifer Le Nechet's favorite bars," 15 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'whew.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of whew

imitative

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1513

See Words from the same year

WHEW Defined for Kids

whew

noun \ often read as ˈhwü , ˈwü , ˈhyü \

Definition of whew for Students

:a sound almost like a whistle made as an exclamation chiefly to show amazement, discomfort, or relief

… “Whew, it sure is good to be home,” …
—Christopher Paul Curtis, The Watsons

Learn More about whew

See words that rhyme with whew

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up whew? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

whew

Definition of whew

Recent Examples of whew from the Web

Origin and Etymology of whew

WHEW Defined for Kids

whew

Definition of whew for Students

Learn More about whew

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

chary

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

'Spox' May Go On The Record

C'mon, Of Course 'Myriad' Is a Noun

'Gamut' and 'Gambit' (and 'Gauntlet' Too)

17 English Words that Come From Japanese

Ask the Editors

Words of the Year: 1066

How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Irregardless

Weird Plurals

Word Games

Forms of Government Quiz

Original Meanings Quiz

True or False?

Bee Cubed

'Spox' May Go On The Record

Trending: New Joe Ide Novel Causes 'Righteous' Spike

17 English Words that Come From Japanese

Forms of Government Quiz

Words of the Year: 1066

whew

Definition of whew

Read the Latest from M-W

Recent Examples of whew from the Web

Origin and Etymology of whew

WHEW Defined for Kids

whew

Definition of whew for Students

Learn More about whew

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

'Spox' May Go On The Record

Trending: New Joe Ide Novel Causes 'Righteous' Spike

17 English Words that Come From Japanese

Forms of Government Quiz

Words of the Year: 1066