woo

verb

ˈwü How to pronounce woo (audio)
wooed; wooing; woos
Synonyms of woo

transitive verb

1
: to sue for the affection of and usually marriage with : court
2
: to solicit or entreat especially with importunity
woo new customers
3
: to seek to gain or bring about

intransitive verb

: to court a woman
wooer noun

Synonyms of woo

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Examples of woo in a Sentence

The store had a sale in an effort to woo new customers. The company must find creative ways to woo new employees.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Quinnipiac’s poll earlier this month comes as Politico reported that the GOP is quietly trying to woo the Pennsylvania Democrat to switch parties. — Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 31 July 2026 Nonetheless, the league did succeed in wooing major players like Rahm, Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka away from the PGA tour with massive monetary promises. — Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 Goldman spent years wooing Musk, Solomon noted on an episode of Bloomberg’s Odd Lots. — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 30 July 2026 LeVota, meanwhile, attempted to launch a pair of last-ditch financial plans to woo the teams back as talks in Kansas were in final stages. — Ilana Arougheti july 28, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for woo

Word History

Etymology

Middle English wowen, from Old English wōgian

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of woo was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing woo

Rhymes for woo

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Browse Nearby Words

wonton
woo
wood
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Cite this Entry

“Woo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/woo. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

woo

verb
ˈwü How to pronounce woo (audio)
1
: to try to gain the love of : court
2
: to seek to gain or bring about
political candidates wooing public support

More from Merriam-Webster on woo

Nglish: Translation of woo for Spanish Speakers

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