# whew

/ˈhju/ (US) · /fjˈuː/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Interjection

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/whew
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

a sound you make to show you are relieved or tired. You use it after a difficult or scary situation is finally over.

For teachers: an utterance expressing relief, fatigue, or surprise at having narrowly avoided a negative outcome.

## Examples

- Whew, I finally finished that long report.
- Whew, that was a close call; I almost missed the train as the doors were closing.
- The lead climber reached the summit and let out a long, audible whew, signaling to the team below that the most dangerous pitch was behind them.

## Usage notes

- Typically stands alone as a sentence or acts as an introductory exclamation followed by a comma.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.