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, that’s a really good question! Nick Caruso, TVLine, 2 Oct. 2025 Behind the camera, Hopinka entwines himself into the narrative, playfully acknowledging his own positionality as a pow wow person while inviting viewers to share in the personal connections that define the event. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
As for relaxation, the four-story, 103,000-square-foot spa and wellness center features a hydrothermal experience that has a wow factor. Sarah Sekula, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025 However, none of the wow factor will be lost — this will be a very close conjunction easily visible to the naked eye from across North America. Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
After winning season 19, Richard Goodall, who wowed viewers and the judges with his powerful voice, went back to being a janitor, at least part-time, per NBC. Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025 Guillermo del Toro wowed the 30th Busan International Film Festival Thursday night by sharing the Imax cut of his $120 million take on Frankenstein in all its gore and its glory. Mathew Scott, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 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 5 Oct. 2025.

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