Whoa

What does Whoa mean?

Reaction to something shocking

When someone utters the word ‘Whoa’, it’s usually because they are taken aback, surprised, or even shocked by something. You might see this term pop up in text messages, emails, social media posts, or even during everyday conversations.

For instance, let’s say your brother hears over the phone that a mutual friend has had a bike mishap, he might exclaim, “Whoa! Is she alright?”. Or perhaps, your aunt and uncle surprise you with an unexpected vacation plan for your birthday, your reaction might be, “Whoa! That’s incredible!”. No matter how it’s spelled, whether ‘whoa’ or ‘woah’, the expression and meaning stay the same.

But where did ‘whoa’ originate from? This expression can be traced as far back as the 14th century, to the Old English term ‘ho!’. Back in the day, ‘ho’ was used in a similar way we use ‘whoa’ today, to express surprise or shock. The spelling changed over time and today, we use the term ‘whoa’ instead.

Example for using ‘Whoa’ in a conversation

Whoa! Did you see the new Avengers movie? It was epic! πŸŽ₯

I know, right?! Whoa, that final battle scene blew my mind! πŸ’₯πŸ”₯

Whoa, did you hear about Sarah? She won the lottery! πŸ’°

No way! Whoa, that’s incredible! She must be so happy! πŸ˜±πŸŽ‰