# wig

/ˈwɪɡ/ (US) · /wˈɪɡ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wig
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. artificial hair

noun · CEFR B1

a covering of real or artificial hair that you wear on your head.

For teachers: a head covering made of natural or synthetic hair, worn for aesthetic, theatrical, or concealment purposes.

- The actor wore a long blonde wig to look like a person from the 1970s.
- The costume department prepared a variety of period-accurate wigs to ensure the historical drama felt authentic to the eighteenth century.

### 2. to panic or go crazy

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal · Slang

to become very excited, angry, or worried in a way that is hard to control.

For teachers: to react with extreme emotion, agitation, or irrationality; frequently used with the particle 'out'.

- Don't wig out just because you missed the bus; there is another one in ten minutes.
- He completely wigged out when he realized he had deleted the final version of the report without a backup.

Usage: Often functions as a phrasal verb: 'wig out'.

Teaching tip: This is very common in American English slang; it is expressive but should be avoided in professional writing.

## Examples

- She wore a blonde wig to the costume party.
- The actor spent two hours in the makeup chair having a historical wig fitted for the play.
- High-quality wigs made from human hair offer a more natural appearance and greater styling versatility than their synthetic counterparts, though they require significantly more maintenance.

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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.