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.
Is there more that Samsung can do to woo customers on competing devices? — Marc Saltzman, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026 When a Van Leeuwen Ice Cream representative came to look at his space in the center of downtown Burbank in April, a senior city official was there to help woo the brand, said Kurt Kaufman of West Coast Investors, which owns the property. — Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026 Tony uses that line as an epigraph, setting up a story about Bourdain following his high school crush Nancy (Emilia Jones) to Provincetown in hopes of wooing her. — Samantha Bergeson, Vanity Fair, 7 Aug. 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 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 9 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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