Uh-oh Definition & Meaning

American

Usage

Examples

Synonyms uh-oh American [uh-oh] / ˈʌˌoʊ /

interjection

1. (used to indicate concern or chagrin at a mildly unfortunate event.)

Usage

What does uh-oh mean? Uh-oh is an expression used to indicate mild alarm or concern in response to something negative, such as a mistake. It’s typically said right when you realize something is wrong or something bad has happened.It’s sometimes spelled uh oh, without the hyphen. Uh-oh is an interjection, meaning it’s a term used to express emotion, often outside of a sentence.Uh-oh is usually only used in response to situations that are mildly bad or unfortunate, like minor mistakes or setbacks—you wouldn’t say uh-oh in response to a tragedy or something very serious.Uh-oh can also be used in a very informal way as a noun meaning a mistake or something that’s cause for concern, as in That part was an uh-oh, but I thought it looked good so I kept it as it was. This can sound childish (much like calling a mistake a boo-boo) and is often used to be humorous.Example: Uh-oh—looks like I forgot to mail that letter.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Uh-oh. What do we have here?”

From Literature

Kendrick hears this and gets an “uh-oh” look on his face.

From Literature

“Uh-oh,” Cassiopeia said with a frown.

From Literature

The show has been produced with the usual tics of the genre: comments presented in the present tense that could only have been taped later; dramatic music and editing; the “hey ho uh-oh” narrative framing of big, loud host Tom “The Blowfish” Hird, with his braided pirate’s beard, whose website identifies him as a “heavy metal marine biologist.”

From Los Angeles Times

And yet, in any unlikely event that disrupts that environment, the prepared jet-setter can shine using the same techniques that have helped pilots, flight attendants, and other passengers who have experienced the big “Uh-oh!” and survived to tell about it.

From Slate

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.