whoa
whoa Lexical Profile
whoa Game Scores & Validity
• interjection
Used to express sudden surprise, amazement, or alarm, or to ask someone to pause, slow down, or reconsider.
"Whoa, I had no idea the concert tickets would sell out in less than five minutes!"
Used as a command to a horse or draft animal to stop or stand still.
"The rider pulled gently on the reins and called out, "Whoa, boy," as they approached the wooden gate."
• verb
To come to a stop or cause (especially a horse) to stop by calling out a command.
"The experienced stagecoach driver whoaed the team of horses just before the washed-out bridge."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often misspelled as "woah" in informal writing, though "whoa" remains the standard spelling in published dictionaries. Do not confuse it with the homophone "woe" (great sorrow or distress).
• Rhymes for whoa
Word Origin & Etymology
Evolved in the 19th century as a variant of the earlier interjection "ho," a natural exclamation used since Middle English by drivers and riders to command horses to stop.