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
Oh wow, not again… Traveling back in time, as late as 2002 Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (IE) could claim 94 percent of the web browser market. John Tamny, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024 The album didn’t wow many rock critics at the time. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024
Noun
For Every Type Of Traveler 01 of 20 Molly's Knob The Molly's Knob overlook at Hungry Mother State Park in Marion wows with one of the most breathtaking vistas in the entire state. Erin Gifford, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2024 From the spiritual ideology of Abramovic to the wow factor of the infinity LED mirror room in the basement, Moco’s strategy to embrace a younger audience ensures a gallery that is easy to navigate and unashamedly populist. Emma Baxter-Wright, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024
Verb
An Irish actor who’s wowed audiences with delicate, intimate performances in Normal People, Aftersun, and All of Us Strangers, and who’s already inspired numerous Reddit threads devoted to his thighs, Mescal is given a chance to step up as an old-school, matinee-idol leading man here. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2024 But, not before one of her two final suitors would wow her family, and the other would be sent home early, blindsided and heartbroken. Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 14 Nov. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near wow

Cite this Entry

“Wow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wow. Accessed 7 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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