English

Alternative forms

• woah
• whoah

Interjection

whoa

1. Stop (especially when commanding a horse or imitative thereof); calm down; slow down.

   Whoa, Nelly!

   • 2007, Ron Liebman, Death by Rodrigo, New York: Simon & Schuster, ISBN 9781416535270, page 134:

     I can see Mickie getting hot, I'm about to grab his arm, hold him back, say, Whoa, whoa, Mick, not here, it ain't worth it what happened inside just now.

2. An expression of surprise.

   Whoa, are you serious?

3. Used as a meaningless filler in song lyrics.
   • 2003, "Weird Al" Yankovic, eBay (song)

     I am the type who is liable to snipe you
     With two seconds left to go, whoa.

   • 2010, Bruce Springsteen, It's a Shame

     And oh whoa girl, it's a shame.
     Oh whoa girl, it's a doggone shame.

Usage notes

An alternative spelling, woah (c. 1856), is common but may be considered an error.

Antonyms

• (stop, said to a horse): giddyup, giddy-up, giddap

Translations

References

• Whoa! Woah?! Whoah. How an old exclamation became the Internet’s most variously spelled word., Matthew J.X. Malady, Slate