# whooping

/ˈhwupɪŋ/ (US) · /wˈuːpɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/whooping
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

used to describe something that is very large or impressive. You usually use it before a number or a word for an amount.

For teachers: extremely large or significant in scale, amount, or intensity. Typically used attributively to emphasize a quantity or a victory.

## Examples

- The company reported a whooping profit this year.
- The candidate won the local election by a whooping majority, taking over seventy percent of the total vote.
- Despite the initial skepticism from investors, the startup secured a whooping ten million dollars in its first round of venture capital funding.

## Pitfalls

- Not "a whooping cough" but "whooping cough" — While 'whooping' describes large amounts, 'whooping cough' is a fixed medical term and does not take an article when used as a general condition.

## Usage notes

- Used almost exclusively as an attributive adjective before a noun phrase denoting an amount or a win.

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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.