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to ooh

to ooh

5 9.1
To make a short sound that shows admiration or surprise
  • verb
  • /uː/
  • Informal
translation icon : exclamar
  • And the fans are oohing and aahing now as what looked like sure disaster for the Braves recovered, and a run comes home.
  • oohed and aah
  • gasped and oohed
  • the audience oohed

Examples

  • The crowd oohs and aahs as Laura starts down the aisle in her wedding dress.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • From Joni's, we headed to Lambrecht's and oohed and aahed over all the lovely Christmas decor.

    Blog text (22)
  • But I soon hear oohing from another part of the room.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • When I do, she oohs and aahs.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • People stopped at my booth, oohed and aahed over my images, their hands filled with long strands of raffle tickets.

    Blog text (1)
  • On Saturday morning, I drove Ellen to Portage Glacier, where she oohed and aahed about the blue color of the glacier ice.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • The crowd began to ooh when the magician performed his final trick.

  • As the fireworks exploded in the sky, everyone in the park started to ooh in amazement.

  • The audience couldn't help but ooh at the stunning performance of the ballet dancers.

Synonyms

to gush
vsto ooh
26 5.6

To praise a person or thing too much, often with strong feeling

is a short exclamation showing instant admiration or excitement rather than long praise
to gush over
vsto ooh
4 7.0

Praise a person or thing in a very excited way

is a quick vocal reaction of admiration or excitement, not sustained praise
to coo
vsto ooh
3 5.5

To make a soft low sound to show affection

is a short excited or admiring exclamation, not a gentle affectionate sound
to aah
vsto ooh
  • Informal
2 8.6

Make a long sound with your voice to show surprise or pleasure

is used mainly for admiration or excitement rather than surprise
to squee
vsto ooh
  • UK
1 9.9

To make a short excited sound to show delight

is a brief general exclamation of admiration or excitement

How Impressed

wow
  • Informal
1.0
whoa
  • Informal
7.2
to ooh
  • Informal
5 9.1
oh
1.0

Surface Forms

ooh infinitive
oohing present participle
oohs third person singular

Etymology

Ooh as a verb comes from the simple sound people make when they see something nice. It copies the soft 'ooh' noise of 'admiration' or 'surprise', so to ooh is to make that sound to show you like or are pleased by something.