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
Or opt for the saturated color and wow factor of the WHBM V-Neck Halter Blouson in Sanctuary. Rebecca Deurlein, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025 Curiously, the same reaction as mine: wow, with two exclamation points. Jenna Ahart, Quanta Magazine, 11 July 2025
Noun
The two standout suites bring their own wow factor: the Silver Kings Suite comes with a private balcony overlooking the Grand Pool, while the 1888 Suite frames postcard-worthy views of the Colorado River and downtown Glenwood Springs. Brittany Anas, Denver Post, 9 July 2025 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
Verb
The day before, a notable director had sat at the same table and been wowed, according to Valenzuela, by an AI model that with nothing more than a prompt had made the beverage up and fly off the table in an onscreen reenactment. Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2025 After wowing those in attendance at the Patriots spring game with his pinpoint passing, his ability to scramble and his field awareness, Stecher started drawing comparisons to some of the greatest Central Florida quarterbacks of all time. Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 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

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Cite this Entry

“Wow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wow. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.

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