woo-woo

adjective

ˈwü-ˌwü 

: 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

Despite skepticism from traditional health care providers, these newer businesses appeal to many types of people, not just the most woo-woo among us. —Fiorella Valdesolo, Allure, 12 Mar. 2025

But by the end, Alyssa’s woo-woo outlook seems as reasonable as Dreux’s more traditional attempts to get ahead, when the game is so rigged that every wrong move seems to incur a lifetime penalty. —Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2025

Tuberose, peach, and sandalwood blend to create a woo-woo forest. —Rose Dommu, Them, 11 Dec. 2024

That’s not some woo-woo philosophy, that’s a pathway back to your own human nature. —Chris Westfall, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2024

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

Rhymes for woo-woo

• accrue
• ado
• ainu
• aircrew
• airscrew
• anew
• askew
• baboo
• babu
• bamboo
• beaucoup
• bijou