# wow

/ˈwaʊ/ (US) · /wˈaʊ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wow
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. showing surprise

interjection · CEFR A2 · Informal

you say this when you are very surprised, impressed, or excited.

For teachers: an exclamation used to express wonder, amazement, or great pleasure.

- Wow, I can't believe you finished that whole project in one day.
- Wow, the view from the summit is even more breathtaking than the photographs suggested.

### 2. to impress

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to make someone feel very impressed or amazed.

For teachers: to excite or greatly impress an audience or individual. Transitive — requires a direct object.

- The young gymnast really wowed the judges with her difficult routine.
- The marketing team hoped to wow the investors with a high-tech presentation and a sleek new prototype.

### 3. something impressive

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a person or thing that is very successful or impressive.

For teachers: a person or thing that is an extraordinary success or source of amazement.

- The new musical was a total wow with the local audience.
- The gala was a real wow, featuring performances that left the attendees talking for weeks afterward.

### 4. audio pitch change

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a slow change in the sound of music, usually caused by a problem with a record player or tape machine.

For teachers: a slow form of pitch variation or flutter in sound reproduction, typically caused by speed fluctuations in mechanical components.

- The old record player had a lot of wow, making the singer's voice sound strange.
- The technician noted significant wow and flutter during the playback, indicating that the drive belt needed immediate replacement.

## Examples

- The new car has a real wow factor.
- The designer added a glass ceiling to the lobby to give the building that extra wow when clients walk in.
- While the technical specifications are impressive, the device lacks the aesthetic wow that usually distinguishes this brand from its more utilitarian competitors.

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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.