: dubiously or outlandishly mystical, supernatural, or unscientific
And she has written a book … in which she dismisses what she calls "woo-woo spirituality" in favor of some straight talk on living with loss …Linda Richman
Energy beams from the eyes certainly sounds like woo-woo stuff …Steve Blow
woo-woo noun
One man's woo-woo, of course, is another's deeply held belief system. Julia Moskin

Examples of woo-woo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Luz is no stranger to the woo-woo stuff many millennial Latinas partake in — limpias, sweat lodges, mushrooms, etc. Alex Zaragoza, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2024 And because some of the people who would most benefit from them are also the most loath to so nakedly, vulnerably confront such feelings in an admittedly woo-woo ritual, the gulf to going on the trip isn’t just physical. Michael Nordine, Variety, 3 Sep. 2024 Afternoons can be spent playing badminton and drinking G&Ts with Aussie gin, E-biking to charming Bangalow town, or ordering a psychic reading or ritual cacao ceremony and energy work off the woo-woo wellbeing menu. Kathryn Romeyn, TIME, 25 July 2024 But in the 1970s when criminal profiling and psychoanalysis were considered fringe science, even woo-woo, Dr. Ann Burgess was leading the charge to legitimize this field of study. Sophie Hanson, StyleCaster, 11 July 2024 Check in at Alexandria Bier Garden between 4 and 6 p.m., then get crawling to bars including Hen Quarter ($8 cocktails and frozen margaritas, $12 sliders, wings and other snacks), the Light Horse ($5 woo-woo shots and beers), and Augie’s Mussel House ($11 cocktails, $2 off beers). Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 21 June 2024 Despite the woo-woo goings on, the folks here are not at much of an advantage. Margaret Lyons, New York Times, 2 May 2024 While that all may sound woo-woo, the principles of soft living—prioritizing sleep, taking moments for self-care, and connecting intentionally with others—are really all part of living mindfully. Krista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, 22 Jan. 2024 Cohen chose one of Monica and Lisa's most contentious encounters from episode 9, when the Salt Lakers come for each other during Whitney Rose's sound bath (don't ask) at her woo-woo jewelry line launch — how the world can handle yet another Real Housewives jewelry line is a wonder in and of itself. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 5 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

probably from the interjection woo-woo as a conventional representation of an eerie or ghostly sound

First Known Use

1992, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of woo-woo was in 1992

Dictionary Entries Near woo-woo

Cite this Entry

“Woo-woo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/woo-woo. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.

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