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.
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.

Alternate/
Word Translation Example Meaning
Similar
"Aaaah! It's Fright, shock. Sometimes it means "ahh"
aah! aaah, aaaahh "Help!"
eating my leg!" instead.
"Aha! So you Understanding, triumph (can also be
aha a-ha "I understand"
took the money!" used as "ahh")
"Ahem! The sound of clearing one's throat. Used
"Attention, Swearing is to get someone's attention, especially if
ahem
please!" against office they don't know (or apparently forgot)
policy." that you're there.
"Ahh, yes, I Realisation, understanding. Sometimes it
ahh ahhh, ohh "Ok, I see"
understand now" means "aaah" or "eh" instead.
"Ahh... This hot
ahh ahhh.. "So relaxing" Relief or relaxation
tub is amazing"
"Argh, the car
argh augh "Damn!" Annoyance, anger, frustration
won't work!"
"Aww, what an Shows sentimental approval (also see
aww aw, awww "How sweet!"
adorable puppy" next entry)
"That's too "Aww, it hit him
aww aw, ohh, ahh Feeling sorry or pity for someone
bad" right in the nuts!"
"Aw, don't be like
aw oh "Come on!" Mild disappointment or protest
that!"
"Bah, I never
bah "Whatever" liked him Dismissive, annoyed
anyways."
"Boo, get off the
boo booh "That's bad" Disapproval, contempt
stage!"
I jumped out
boo! booh! "Scared you!" from the closet A noise used to scare people by surprise
and yelled "boo!"
Your internet is
Used, often sarcastically, to imitate
boo-hoo boohoo "I'm crying!" slow? Boo-hoo,
crying.
how sad for you.
"Brrr, it's -20C
brr brrrr "It's cold" Being cold, shivering
outside"
"That was "I just deleted all Homer Simpson's catchphrase when
d'oh doh
stupid/bad!" my files. D'oh!" something bad happens.
"Duh, you didn't Expresses annoyance over something
duh "That's dumb"
plug it in." stupid or obvious
eek eeeek "Help!" "Eeek, a mouse!" Girly scream. Surprised, scared.
"Eep! I didn't
eep "Oh no!" mean to say Surprise (female)
that!"
"Eh? I didn't hear
eh? huh? "What?" Misunderstanding. Also see "eh?" below
what you said."
"So she dumped
eh? huh?, eyh? "Is that right?" Stereotypically overused by Canadians
you, eh?"
ugh, ewww, "Ewww, this
eww "Disgusting" Disgust, dislike
yuck, ick apple is rotten"
"This is
gah "Gah, I give up" Exasperation and despair
hopeless"
"Gee, that's Surprise, enthusiasm, or just general
gee "Really?"
super!" emphasis.
"Grrr, I'll kick his Anger, snarling, growling. Often used
grr grrrr "I'm angry"
ass" for dogs and other animals.
"Hmm, I'm not
hmm hm, hmmmm"I wonder" Thinking, hesitation.
sure about that"
"There are kids
"I don't like A snort, to express dislike, disbelief or
humph harumph on my lawn
this" annoyance.
again, humph!"
"Heh, that's The first syllable of "hahaha", when
hah heh "Funny."
clever" something is just a little funny
hehe,
"Haha, that's
haha hahaha, "Funny!" Regular laughter.
hilarious!"
bahaha
"Huh, you were
huh "Really?" Mild, indifferent surprise
right"
hooray, "Let's "Hurrah, we
hurrah Generic exclaimation of joy
huzzah celebrate!" won!"
yuck, ich, "Ick, this milk
ick "Disgusting" Disgust, dislike
yak has gone bad"
"Meh, whatever
meh eh "I don't know" Indifference
you think is best"
mmhm, uh- "Do you think so
mhm "Yes" Agreement, acknowledgement.
hu too?" "Mhm"
"Mmm, this ice
Pleasure. Sometimes it means "hmm"
mm mmm, mmh "Lovely" cream is
instead.
delicious"
"I switched the
mwahaha,
muahaha "I'm so evil!" sugar and the Evil villain's triumphant laugh
bwahaha
salt! Muahaha!"
"Thanks, you're
mwah m-wah "Kiss!" so sweet! The sound of blowing a kiss
Mwah!"
"Want another
nah "No" beer?" "Nah, I'm Informal no
good"

nuh-uh nuh-hu, nu- "No, it "I hit you!" Childish negation or refusal
huh isn't!"/"Did "Nuh-uh!" "Yuh-
not!" uh!" "Nuh-uh!"
 "Oh, you wanted
oh "I see" Realisation
sugar, not milk."
"A seven layer An often ironic (or just funny) way
ooh-la-la oh-lala "Fancy!" wedding cake? indicating that something is fancy or
Ooh-la-la!" high class
"Oooh, it's Wonder, amazement (ohhh can also
ooh oooh "Wonderful!"
shiny!" mean ahhh)
A grunt made on sudden exertion. Also
"I'm exerting "Push on 3.. 1, 2, used as a noun to mean "power" or
oomph umph
myself" 3.. oomph!" "energy" ("This song needs more
oomph!")
"I didn't mean "Oops, I knocked Being surprised at or acknowledging
oops
to do that" your cup over" your own mistakes
ow, ouch, "Ouch, I hit my
ouch "That hurts" Expression of pain
yeow thumb"
oww, ouch, "Oww, I hit my
oww "That hurts" Expression of pain
yeow thumb"
Mainly British: Used to get someone's
"Oy! You forgot attention, similar to "hey!". Also used
oy oi, oyh "Hey, you!"
your wallet!" disapprovingly ("Oy, you spilled your
drink all over me!").
"The bills are Mainly Jewish: Used to express self-
oy oy vay "Oh no..."
biling up. Oy..." pity, similar to "woe is me!"
"Pew, that smells
pew pee-yew "It stinks!" Used for foul odors
so gross!"
"Pff, I once
pffh, pssh, "That's
pff caught a fish Unimpressed
pfft nothing"
twice that size"
"I didn't do my
"That was homework, but
phew Expressing relief
close!" the teacher didn't
check. Phew!"
Whispering "Psst. Let's skip Used to quietly get someone's attention,
psst
"Hey, you!" the next class!" often to tell them a secret.
"I can't believe "Sheesh, now Exasperation, annoyance (corruption of
sheesh jeez
this!" he's drunk again" "Jesus")
"Shh, I'm trying
shh hush, shush "Be quiet" to hear what Used to make someone be quiet
they're saying!"
"Get out of here! Used to drive away animals or small
shoo "Go away"
Shoo!" children
"Tsk-tsk, he is
"Disappointing disappointment, contempt (this is a
tsk-tsk tut-tut late for work
" clicking sound. Clip from Futurama)
again"
"Do you think so Agreement, acknowledgement (easily
uh-huh mhm, uh-hu "Yes"
too?" "Uh-hu" confused with uh-uh)
"Uh-oh, I think
Concerned for indications that
uh-oh oh-oh "Oh no!" the bear is inside
something will happen
the house"
uh-uh unh-unh, "No" "Eat your Refusal, especially if your mouth is full
unh-uh spinach!" "Uh- or if you refuse to open it (easily
uh!" confused with uh-huh)
 "Seven times
"Wait, I'm Indicates a pause in, rather than the end
uhh uhm, err eight is... uhh...
thinking" of, a sentence
56"
"I don't want you Used, often sarcastically, for imitating
waah waaaaah "I'm crying!"
to go! Waaah!" crying or whining.
Used by children when doing something
wee whee, weee "This is fun!" "Weee! Faster!" fun, and often ironically by adults when
something is fun but childish
Can be used to suggest caution as in
here, and also stereotypically used by
"Whoa, take it marijuana smokers to express
whoa "Hold on."
easy!" dumbfounded amazement ("whoa, look
at the colors!"). Originally a sound used
to make horses stop.
"Wow, that's
wow "Amazing!" Impressed, astonished
incredible!"
"Let's "Yippie! We
yahoo yippie Generic exclaimation of joy
celebrate!" won!"
All-purpose cheer. Approval,
yay "Yes!" "Yay! We won!"
congratulations and triumph
"Yeeeaah! Kick Common slang for "yes", sometimes
yeah yeeeeaah! "Yes!"
his butt!" also used as an interjection.
"Let's gather
Much like "yahoo", but almost always
yee-haw yeehaw "I'm excited!" some cattle! Yee-
associated with cowboys.
haw!"
"I found out I
"That's a bad owed $5000 in
yikes Fear and alarm.
surprise." back taxes.
Yikes!"
"Yoo-hoo,
The often ironic/comical, seductive call
yoo-hoo yoohoo "Hey you!" sugercup! Come
of a woman to get someone's attention
give me a hug!"
"I hit you!"
Childish affirmation, often used to
yuh-hu, yu- "Yes, it "Nuh-uh!" "Yuh-
yuh-uh counter "nuh-uh!" (not to be confused
huh is!"/"Did so!" uh!" "Nuh-
with yoo-hoo).
uh!" ...
ick, ich, "Yuck, I wouldn't
yuck blech, bleh, "Disgusting!" want to touch Disgust, dislike
eww, ugh that"
"You're so stupid, Used (often ironically) to punctuate a
ba-dum-tss, "Haha, well you'd trip over a punchline or witty comeback. From the
zing
badum tish said!" wireless phone!" sound of a rimshot, played after
"Zing!" punchlines in some comedy acts.