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

Food and drink Upon my arrival, I was wooed by the dazzling signature welcome cocktail made with gin, pineapple, herbal liqueur, and tamarind jamu. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026

But that hasn’t stopped platforms from trying to woo large traders. — Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026

Andie gets lured into a lunch date with a rival executive who tries to woo her over to ABC. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026

And lawmakers from states newer to the early-primary lineup are already preparing to elevate what matters to their constituents, as they get wooed by presidential aspirants. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 16 Sep. 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