Oooh

Oooh is an English interjection that mimics a drawn-out vocalization used to express delight, surprise, or admiration. The form oooh, with three o's, is a variant of the more common ooh; other informal spellings include ooooh, or simply ooh. The exact number of o's is not standardized and is primarily used for emphasis in written text, captions, dialogue in comics, song lyrics, and social media posts.

Phonology and usage conventions center on conveying emotion rather than new information. It is typically realized with a long /uː/ vowel, and the duration of the sound is extended to reflect stronger feeling. In practice, "oooh" functions as a paralinguistic cue in writing, signaling affect such as curiosity, wonder, or aesthetic pleasure.

Differences in meaning often hinge on context and tone. "Oooh" can indicate anticipation or admiration, or simply be an exclamatory response to something impressive. It is commonly contrasted with "oh" or "ah," which tend to express realization, relief, or factual reaction rather than affective engagement. In formal writing, such exclamations are usually avoided; in informal writing, dialogue, scripts, captions, and online communication they help convey tone and mood.

Etymology reflects its nature as a phonetic rendering of a vocal sound rather than a lexical item. Spelling variants (oooh, ooooh, ooh) illustrate attempts to capture length and intensity. In popular culture, the sequence appears across lyrics, memes, and user-generated text as a versatile expressive device.

See also: ooh, aah, oh; onomatopoeia.