Word
wha
Definition
interj. a short way of saying 'what' when you are very surprised or did not hear someone. You use it to show you are shocked or confused.
interj. a non-standard or phonetic spelling of 'what', used to represent a sudden, clipped expression of surprise or disbelief. Often appears in dialogue to indicate a speaker's confusion or lack of comprehension.
Examples
“Wha? I can't believe he said that.”
“She stared at the bill in total shock and could only manage a quiet 'wha?' before looking up.”
“The character's frequent use of 'wha' instead of the full interrogative serves to highlight his constant state of bewilderment and his informal, colloquial manner of speaking.”
Examples
simple
“Wha? I can't believe he said that.”
contextual
“She stared at the bill in total shock and could only manage a quiet 'wha?' before looking up.”
complex
“The character's frequent use of 'wha' instead of the full interrogative serves to highlight his constant state of bewilderment and his informal, colloquial manner of speaking.”
Usage
Used primarily in informal writing or scripts to represent spoken dialect or sudden shock.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/wha