Oof

/uːf/ interjection

Definition

An exclamation expressing pain, surprise, sympathy, or acknowledgment of a difficult truth.

Etymology

An onomatopoetic interjection that mimics the sound of being struck or shocked. It gained popularity in internet culture and became recognized by major dictionaries in the 2010s-2020s.

Kelly Says

The word 'oof' has become wildly popular in Gen Z slang—it's the sound of something hitting hard, literally or emotionally. The fact that it just got added to major dictionaries shows how internet language is now official enough to be in the dictionary!

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