Word
huh
US/ˈhə/
UK/hˈʌ/
Definitions
01didn't hear/understand
interj. you say this when you didn't hear what someone said or you don't understand them.
interj. used to indicate that the speaker has not heard or has failed to comprehend a previous statement.
“Huh? Could you say that again? I wasn't listening.”
“Huh? I'm afraid I didn't catch that last part over the noise of the traffic.”
Informal
Usage
Often stands alone as a complete utterance with rising intonation.
02checking for agreement
interj. you add this to the end of a sentence to check if someone agrees with you.
interj. used as a tag question to solicit agreement or confirmation from the listener.
“It's a beautiful day for a walk, huh?”
“The new policy seems a bit unnecessary, huh?”
Informal
Usage
Placed at the end of a declarative sentence to turn it into a question.
Synonyms
03surprise or doubt
interj. you use this to show you are surprised, amused, or don't quite believe something.
interj. used to express mild surprise, skepticism, or amusement in response to a statement or situation.
“Huh, I never thought about it that way before.”
“Huh, so they actually decided to go through with the merger after all.”
Informal
Usage
Usually uttered with a falling or flat intonation to signal reflection or doubt.
Synonyms
Etymology
Attested from circa 1600. Compare Dutch hè (“huh”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/huh