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to woo

to woo

44 4.6
To try to get someone's love or romantic feelings
  • verb
  • /wuː/
translation icon : cortejar
  • During the courtship, he made every effort to woo her with kindness and charm.
  • woo her away
  • narrative of wooing

Not a great first impression to make when you're wanting to woo a woman.

Examples

  • What are we going to do to to woo India back to our side of the fence?

  • You know you need to, like, woo her, right? -

  • Back at court, I am forced to sit and watch Henry woo Anne.

  • Why is it that all the women I woo end up screaming?

  • And when two lovers woo

  • If you're a candidate who wants to be president, you have to woo and win women voters.

    Blog text (17)
  • Not a great first impression to make when you're wanting to woo a woman.

  • He spent eight years wooing the same gal.

  • Then there was the summer Jonathan spent unsuccessfully wooing Rebecca.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Raymond, for instance, initially woos Gualhardine, although Aymery becomes her true suitor.

    Academic text (2017)

Synonyms

to chase
vsto woo
  • NSFW
194 4.0

To try to start a romantic relationship with someone

focuses on seeking lasting affection rather than mainly sexual pursuit
to court
vsto woo
  • Formal
36 4.2

To try to win someone's love, often to form a serious relationship

seeks romantic interest more generally, not only marriage intent
to romance
vsto woo
16 5.3

To try to attract someone you like, often with gifts or kind words

aims to gain affection rather than focus on flirtatious actions
to chase after
vsto woo
  • NSFW
11 3.7

To try to begin a romantic relationship with someone

is centered on gaining affection, often with more serious intent

Antonyms

1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

839 1.9

Refuse to accept someone or something

Compounds

woo woo
  • Slang
3 9.9

Ideas that seem like nonsense and lack scientific proof

9.9

Ideas not based on science and lacking evidence, often about ghosts or miracle cures

woo-monger
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who gives false love advice to lonely people

How Romantic

to propose
114 3.5
to woo
44 4.6
to date
1.3
to flirt
267 3.1

Surface Forms

woo infinitive
wooed past
wooed past participle
wooing present participle
woos third person singular

Etymology

Woo goes back to old English where it meant 'to charm' or 'to try to win someone's love'. So to woo someone is to try to gain their affection with attention, gifts, or kind words.