08/03/2013

Dictionary of interjections (aww, oh, ah, eek, oops)

Dictionary of interjections
Here is a list of english interjections (words that have no grammatical meaning, but just signify emotions, such as
"Aha" and "Wow") and their meanings. Feel free to mail me if you have suggestions or comments.
Like the sounds themselves, most of the interjection can be made stronger by stretching them out, such as
"aaaaaah!!!" or "awwwwwww!!". This list mostly describes the shortest canonical representations. Note that
some are listed several times with different meanings, and as alternate spellings under other entries.

Word
aah!

aha

Alternate/
Translation
Similar
aaah,
aaaahh

a-ha

ahem

Example

Meaning

"Help!"

"Aaaah! It's
eating my
leg!"

Fright, shock. Sometimes it means

"ahh" instead.

"I understand"

"Aha! So you
took the
money!"

Understanding, triumph (can also be

used as "ahh")

"Attention,
please!"

"Ahem!
Swearing is
against office
policy."

The sound of clearing one's throat.

Used to get someone's attention,
especially if they don't know (or
apparently forgot) that you're there.
Realisation, understanding. Sometimes
it means "aaah" or "eh" instead.

ahh

ahhh

"Ok, I see"

"Ahh, yes, I
understand
now"

argh

augh

"Damn!"

"Argh, the car

won't work!"

Annoyance, anger, frustration

aww

aw,
awww

"How sweet!"

"Aww, what
an adorable
puppy"

Shows sentimental approval (also see

next entry)

aww

aw, ohh,
ahh

"That's too
bad"

aw

oh

"Come on!"

bah

"Whatever"

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"Aww, it hit
him right in
the nuts!"
"Aw, don't be
like that!"
"Bah, I never
liked him

Feeling sorry or pity for someone

Mild protest

Dismissive, annoyed
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Dictionary of interjections (aww, oh, ah, eek, oops)

anyways."
boo

booh

"That's bad"

"Boo, get off

the stage!"

brr

brrrr

"It's cold"

"Brrr, it's
Being cold, shivering
-20C outside"

eek

eeeek

"Help!"

"Eeek, a
mouse!"

Girly scream. Surprised, scared.

"Oh no!"

"Eep! I didn't
mean to say
that!"

Surprise (female)

"What?"

"Eh? I didn't
Misunderstanding. Also see "eh?"
hear what you
below
said."

"Is that right?"

"So she
dumped you,
eh?"

Stereotypically overused by
Canadians

"Disgusting"

"Ewww, this
apple is
rotten"

Disgust, dislike

"This is
hopeless"

"Gah, I give
up"

Exasperation and despair

"I'm angry"

"Grrr, I'll kick

his ass"

Anger, snarling, growling. Often used

for dogs and other animals.

"I wonder"

"Hmm, I'm
not sure
about that"

Thinking, hesitation.

"Really?"

"Huh, you
were right"

Mild, indifferent surprise

"Let's
celebrate!"

"Hurrah, we
won!"

Generic exclaimation of joy

"Disgusting"

"Blerch, this
apple is
rotten"

Disgust, dislike

"I don't know"

"Meh,
whatever you
think is best"

Indifference

eep

eh?

huh?

eh?

huh?, eyh?

eww

ugh,
ewww

gah
grr

grrrr

hmm

hm,
hmmmm

huh
hurrah

ich

meh

hooray,
huzzah
yuk

eh

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Disapproval, contempt (also

something to yell to surprise people)

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Dictionary of interjections (aww, oh, ah, eek, oops)

mhm

mmhm,
uh-hu

mm

mmm,
mmh

"Yes"

"Do you think

so too?"
"Mhm"

Agreement, acknowledgement.

"Lovely"

"Mmm, this
ice cream is
delicious"

Pleasure. Sometimes it means "hmm"

instead.

"I'm so evil!"

"I switched
the sugar and
the salt!
Muahaha!"

Evil villain's triumphant laugh

nah

"No"

"Want
another
beer?" "Nah,
I'm good"

Informal no

nuh-uh

"No, it
isn't!"/"Did
not!"

"I hit you!"

"Nuh-uh!"
"Yuh-uh!"
"Nuh-uh!"

Childish negation or refusal

"I see"

"Oh, you
wanted sugar,
not milk."

Realisation

An often ironic (or just funny) way

indicating that something is fancy or
high class

muahaha

mwahaha,
bwahaha

nuh-hu,
nuhuh

oh

ooh-lala

oh-lala

"Fancy!"

"A seven
layer wedding
cake? Oohla-la!"

ooh

oooh

"Wonderful!"

"Oooh, it's
shiny!"

Wonder, amazement (ohhh can also

mean ahhh)

"I'm exerting
myself"

"Push on 3..
1, 2, 3..
oomph!"

A grunt made on sudden exertion.

Also used as a noun to mean "power"
or "energy" ("This song needs more
oomph!")

"I didn't mean

to do that"

"Oops, I
knocked your
cup over"

Being surprised at or acknowledging

your own mistakes

"That hurts"

"Oww, I hit
my thumb"

Pain

"Oy! You
forgot your

Mainly British: Used to get someone's

attention, similar to "hey!". Also used
disapprovingly ("Oy, you spilled your

oomph

umph

oops

ow

oy

oww,
ouch

oi, oyh

"Hey, you!"

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oy

pff

Dictionary of interjections (aww, oh, ah, eek, oops)

wallet!"

drink all over me!").

"The bills are

biling up.
Oy..."

Mainly Jewish: Used to express selfpity, similar to "woe is me!"

oy vay

"Oh no..."

pffh, pssh,
pfft

"Pff, I once
caught a fish
"That's nothing"
twice that
size"
"I didn't do
my
homework,
but the
teacher didn't
check.
Phew!"

Unimpressed

phew

"That was
close!"

psst

Whispering
"Hey, you!"

"Psst. Let's
skip the next
class!"

Used to quietly get someone's

attention, often to tell them a secret.

sheesh

"I can't believe

this!"

"Sheesh, now
he's drunk
again"

Exasperation, annoyance (corruption

of "Jesus")

hush,
shush

"Be quiet"

"Shh, I'm
trying to hear
what they're
saying!"

Used to make someone be quiet

tut-tut

"Tsk-tsk, he
"Disappointing" is late for
work again"

shh

tsk-tsk

uh-hu

uh-oh

uh-uh

jeez

Expressing relief

disappointment, contempt (this is a

clicking sound. Clip from Futurama)

uhuh, mhm "Yes"

"Do you think

so too?" "Uhhu"

Agreement, acknowledgement (easily

confused with uh-uh)

oh-oh

"Oh no!"

"Uh-oh, I
think the bear
is inside the
house"

Concerned for indications that

something will happen

"No"

"Eat your
spinach!"
"Uh-uh!"

Refusal, especially if your mouth is full

or if you refuse to open it (easily
confused with uhuh)

unh-unh

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uhh

wee

Dictionary of interjections (aww, oh, ah, eek, oops)

uhm, err

whee,
weee

"Wait, I'm
thinking"

"This is fun!"

"Seven times
eight is...
uhh... 56"

Indicates a pause in, rather than the

end of, a sentence

"Weee!
Faster!"

Used by children when doing

something fun, and often ironically by
adults when something is fun but
childish
Confounded, surprised and amazed.
In popular culture, marijuana smokers
are often depicted with this
exclamation (originally a sound used to
make horses stop)

whoa

"Whoa, I just
"Unbelievable!" looked at it
and it broke!"

wow

"Amazing!"

"Wow, that's
incredible!"

Impressed, astonished

"Let's
celebrate!"

"Yippie! We
won!"

Generic exclaimation of joy

"Yes!"

"Yay! We
won!"

All-purpose cheer. Approval,

congratulations and triumph

"Yes!"

"Yeeeaah!
Kick his
butt!"

Common slang for "yes", sometimes

also used as an interjection.

"I'm excited!"

"Let's gather
some cattle!
Yee-haw!"

Much like "yahoo", but almost always

associated with cowboys.

"Hey you!"

"Yoo-hoo,
sugercup!
Come give
me a hug!"

The often ironic/comical, seductive call

of a woman to get someone's attention

"Yes, it
is!"/"Did so!"

"I hit you!"

"Nuh-uh!"
"Yuh-uh!"
"Nuh-uh!" ...

Childish affirmation, often used to

counter "nuh-uh!" (not to be confused
with yoo-hoo).

"Disgusting!"

"Yuk, I
wouldn't want
to touch that"

Disgust, dislike

yahoo

yippie

yay

yeah

yee-haw

yoo-hoo

yeeeeaah!

yeehaw

yoohoo

yuh-uh

yuh-hu,
yuhuh

yuk

ich, blech,
bleh

zing

ba-dum"Haha, well
tss, badum

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"You're so
stupid, you'd
trip over a

Used (often ironically) to punctuate a

punchline or witty comeback. From
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Dictionary of interjections (aww, oh, ah, eek, oops)

tish

said!"

wireless
phone!"
"Zing!"

the sound of a rimshot, played after

punchlines in some comedy acts.

There's more random stuff here on VidarHolen.net

www.vidarholen.net/contents/interjections/

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