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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Interjection
Forget those wallflowers and wow your guests with the extrovert of the dessert world. Josh Miller, Southern Living, 28 June 2025 Both movies use state-of-the-art technology to provide in car racing footage that gives it a level of authenticity to wow a viewer. Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 June 2025
Noun
The wow factor runs away The zebra was meant to be the ultimate showpiece for the Ford family, taking its place among the family's alpacas, bison, cattle and other farm animals. Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 10 June 2025 Some cities, like Nashville,Tennessee, have opted to combine drones with traditional firework displays as a way of increasing the wow factor. Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 4 July 2025
Verb
Amazon’s outlet continues to wow us with its huge number of fun finds. Clint Davis, People.com, 4 July 2025 The World’s Best Whiskey Tasting Notes Judges were instantly wowed by the complexity of the Kavalan Solist Fino Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky. Erik Ofgang, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for wow

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wow. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

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