as in sensational
arousing a strong and usually superficial interest or emotional reaction
most of the movie's budget must have gone for its gee-whiz special effects
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Recent Examples of gee-whiz
Kevin Koenig, Robb Report, 21 Nov. 2025
The Institute never achieves either emotional potency or any sense of gee-whiz spectacle.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2025
Perseverance's aurora observations, which were described in a study published Wednesday (May 14) in the journal Science Advances, have more than just gee-whiz appeal.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 15 May 2025
Are the gee-whiz tech innovations still relevant like the electric light bulb or the elevator were?
—Matt Shaw, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
California once was the state where a visionary might start up a gee-whiz concept in a garage.
—Steven Greenhut, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025
Missoula, Montana, where he was born, bequeathed him a folksy Eagle Scout congeniality, all nasal delivery and gee-whiz enthusiasm.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2025
My key question at the meal: when quantum computing would stop being a gee-whiz technology that doesn’t actually do any real work, and start revolutionizing everything as the hype machine has taught us to expect.
—John Koetsier, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024
While invisibility cloaks are a gee-whiz application, metamaterials now offer real-world commercial applications such as new antenna technologies for mobile phones.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 Dec. 2018
Eric Todisco, Peoplemag, 24 Mar. 2023
Adjective
While the terrace is the most obvious gee-whiz feature, the 100-footer has multiple standout elements, starting with the salon.
—Kevin Koenig, Robb Report, 21 Nov. 2025
The Institute never achieves either emotional potency or any sense of gee-whiz spectacle.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2025
Perseverance's aurora observations, which were described in a study published Wednesday (May 14) in the journal Science Advances, have more than just gee-whiz appeal.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 15 May 2025
Are the gee-whiz tech innovations still relevant like the electric light bulb or the elevator were?
—Matt Shaw, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
California once was the state where a visionary might start up a gee-whiz concept in a garage.
—Steven Greenhut, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025
Missoula, Montana, where he was born, bequeathed him a folksy Eagle Scout congeniality, all nasal delivery and gee-whiz enthusiasm.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2025
My key question at the meal: when quantum computing would stop being a gee-whiz technology that doesn’t actually do any real work, and start revolutionizing everything as the hype machine has taught us to expect.
—John Koetsier, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024
While invisibility cloaks are a gee-whiz application, metamaterials now offer real-world commercial applications such as new antenna technologies for mobile phones.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 Dec. 2018
Interjection
Wow, gee whiz, golly wolly!
—Eric Todisco, Peoplemag, 24 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gee-whiz
Adjective
-
University of Miami basketball fans who stayed up for Wednesday’s late-night game against Stanford were treated to a thriller, as the Hurricanes wore down sensational freshman guard Ebuka Okorie and rallied late to beat the Cardinal 79-70 at the Watsco Center.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Dahlin’s night was sensational even by his standards.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
For me, folklore started right back at school, when our junior headmaster used to sit and tell us tall colorful tales, oral Cumbrian legends and ghost stories, which could be augmented and added to in the telling.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
In practice, that meant something similar to his past records—fragments of human voices breaking through collages of tape loops and glitchy errata, warmed by colorful sequences of alien synth work.—
Colin Joyce,
Pitchfork,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
There was more screaming and yelling for people who wanted to get a ventilator available in their home.—
Chris Lee,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2021
Interjection
-
The oversharing Cynthia immediately passes this information on to her daughter, leading to a meet-cute in the laundry room that quickly escalates into Mary becoming, well, alien pregnant.—
Katie Rife,
IndieWire,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Last year, Red Velvet pancakes sold like, well, hotcakes.—
Phillip Valys,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
Interjection
-
That Haru is even back in the dance studio is a win, and the bonus delight of Fedir only adds to her sense that, hey, maybe this grief thing can be overcome.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
22 Jan. 2026
-
And hey, coach Jeff Lebby’s recruiting class included a five-star (cornerback Bralan Womack) and was ranked ahead of Auburn, Missouri … and Indiana!—
Seth Emerson,
New York Times,
22 Jan. 2026
Interjection
-
Oh gee, is that supposed to be me in the video with the goatee?—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
As the spigot closed, inflation spiked (gee, maybe there’s a connection?) and the economy slowed, the state budget went from a whopping surplus to stubborn deficits.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
6 Aug. 2025
Interjection
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And lo, there are truck chases and car chases and club shoot-outs and multiple people falling off buildings and an epic train derailment and approximately 197 shots of Mark Wahlberg using some poor bastard’s body as a shield as it’s plugged full of bullet holes.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Remember lo those many weeks ago when the ground wasn't covered in snow?—
Amber Hunt,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Interjection
-
Without Lud Heat, there’s no From Hell.—
Hari Kunzru,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Like, no, Northy actually has a lot of rules.—
Michelle Lee,
PEOPLE,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gee-whiz.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gee-whiz. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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