Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • interjection Used to indicate the startling abruptness of a sound, action, or event.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • interjection used to emphasis the suddenness of an event

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Alteration of wham.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From wham

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word whammo.

Examples

  • Then, a couple of months later, take the same rifle to the range, fire a couple of fouling shots, and whammo!, the damn thing is shooting to a different POA!

    How Many Groups is Enough? 2009

  • Then, a couple of months later, take the same rifle to the range, fire a couple of fouling shots, and whammo!, the damn thing is shooting to a different POA!

    How Many Groups is Enough? 2009

  • No, get this: my darling little nerd was following along in line, his mind on how depressing gym class is, his hands in his pockets, HIS EYES SHUT, and whammo!

    Day in the Life of an Idiot lyda222 2009

  • I was up late doing laundry, when whammo, my wash machine went wonky.

    Mechanic Fail or no I cannot fix teh washing machinze - SpouseBUZZ 2009

  • And just when you think that an evil character might have found redemption, whammo, he comes up with a shard of porcelain.

    Tuckered out : Bev Vincent 2009

  • Suggest to women, however, that they have a particular need to be careful; about their “virtue”, in that quaint phrase, and whammo, an Amazonian spear buries itself in your spine.

    Why Can't Women Make Their Minds Up ? Newmania 2008

  • Suggest to women, however, that they have a particular need to be careful; about their “virtue”, in that quaint phrase, and whammo, an Amazonian spear buries itself in your spine.

    Archive 2008-01-06 Newmania 2008

  • He's such a trusting soul, and this is the first whammo that's ever happened to him.

    ɘloЯ 2010

  • Too bad too beacuse this movie has tight dircetion (lot of tense scenes in this one) and a wonderfully written script (Dark humor, twists, subplots, and a whammo of a surprise ending)!

    Sound Off: The Dark Knight - What Did You Think?! « FirstShowing.net 2008

  • On TV replays he appeared to extend his leg, bend his knee forward and — whammo — Mr. Carroll went tumbling to the ground, toppled by a coach.

    Not Your Normal Mascot Jason Gay 2010

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.