What does "woo" mean?
Alternative form of woo woo.
Woo
/wuː/ adj, intj, name, noun, verb, slang
adj, intj, name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Alternative form of woo woo.
- Grammar: woo is listed as adj, intj, name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: court, romance, solicit, address.
- Useful contrasts: alienate, boo, deter.
- Usage evidence: The politician tried to woo corporate interests, but as he was still an insignificant figure on the political scene, they weren't interested.
How to use "woo"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "woo" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "woo" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "woo" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "woo" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "woo" is acting as adj, intj, name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "court" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "woo", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Alternative form of woo woo. alt-of, alternative
"Physics hasn't been "looking" at it, certain men who embrace the Copenhagen Interpretation rather than Many Worlds or the Pilot Wave angles are resorting to woo."
Verb
- 1 To endeavor to gain someone's affection/support. transitive
"They're trying to woo the customers back with this new mobile plan."
- 2 make amorous advances towards wordnet
- 3 To try to persuade (someone) to be in an amorous relationship with often, transitive
"Soo leue we syr Launcelot lyenge within that caue in grete payne / and euery day ther came a lady & brouȝt hym his mete & his drynke / & wowed hym to haue layne by hym / and euer the noble knyghte syre Launcelot sayd her nay. "So leave we Sir Launcelot lying within that cave in great pain; and every day there came a lady and brought him his meat and his drink, and wooed him, to have lain by him; and ever the noble knight, Sir Launcelot, said her nay.""
- 4 seek someone's favor wordnet
- 5 To court solicitously; to invite with importunity; to solicit in love. transitive
"Thee Chauntreſs oft the Woods among, / I woo to hear thy eeven Song;"
Adjective
- 1 Alternative form of woo woo. alt-of, alternative
Intj
- 1 Expressing joy or excitement; woohoo, yahoo. slang
""I got you a new cell phone." "Woo, that's great!""
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname from Chinese.
- 2 A surname from Korean.
Example
"The politician tried to woo corporate interests, but as he was still an insignificant figure on the political scene, they weren't interested."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "woo"?
Common synonyms include: court, romance, solicit, address, address, allure.
How do you use "woo" in a sentence?
The politician tried to woo corporate interests, but as he was still an insignificant figure on the political scene, they weren't interested.
How do you pronounce "woo"?
Pronounced /wuː/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English wowen, woȝen, from Old English wōgian (“to woo, court, marry”), of uncertain origin. Cognate with Scots wow (“to woo”). Perhaps related to Old English wōg, wōh (“bending, crookedness”), in the specific sense of "bend or incline (some)one toward oneself". If so, then derived from Proto-Germanic *wanhō (“a bend, angle”), from Proto-Indo-European *wonk- (“crooked, bent”), from Proto-Indo-European *wā- (“to bend, twist, turn”); related to Old Norse vá (“corner, angle”).
Etymology 2
From an irregular romanization of various Mandarin Chinese surnames including 吳／吴 (Wú), 伍 (Wǔ), 武 (Wǔ), and 巫 (Wū), or from Cantonese 胡 (wu4).
Etymology 3
From Korean 우 (u). * (surname): from Korean 禹, 于