woo

woo — verb

1. to attempt to win the backing, custom, or approval of a person or group, often b

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to attempt to win the backing, custom, or approval of a person or group, often by presenting something they find attractive — for instance, a candidate wooing voters with policy promises, or a business wooing clients with special offers.

Example

The car company wooed young drivers with a free music streaming subscription.

woo + target + with + incentive

Nora's small design firm was wooed by a larger agency looking for fresh talent.

passive: be wooed by [organisation]

Common collocations
  • woo voters
  • woo investors
  • woo customers
  • woo supporters
  • woo talent
  • woo the committee
Synonyms
  • court

    more formal; used in similar political, business, or romantic contexts

  • cultivate

    implies a longer-term, gradual effort to build a relationship

  • solicit

    more direct and transactional, used especially for donations or votes

  • curry favour with

    slightly negative connotation of flattery for personal gain

Antonyms
  • alienate

    to make someone feel unwelcome or opposed to you

  • discourage

    to make someone less willing to support you

Grammar Patterns

woo + target + with + offer/incentive

be wooed + by + agent

Usage Note

Common in business and political contexts. The object is always a person or group whose favour you want; you do not woo an outcome. Frequently paired with a 'with' phrase naming the offer or incentive.

Common Mistakes

The company wooed a big contract from the client.
The company wooed the client with a better offer.
'woo' takes the person or group you are trying to persuade, not the thing you want to obtain.

2. to pay romantic attention to someone with the aim of marrying them or starting a

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to pay romantic attention to someone with the aim of marrying them or starting a serious romantic relationship — for example, sending flowers, writing letters, or spending time with them and their family to show sincere interest.

Example

Faisal wooed his wife with handwritten letters and long walks along the river.

woo + person + with + romantic gesture

In the nineteenth century, a man wooed a woman by visiting her family's home.

historical register, formal context

Common collocations
  • woo a woman
  • woo a partner
  • woo someone with gifts
  • woo someone with poetry
  • woo someone for marriage
Synonyms
  • court

    formal; the most direct synonym, also somewhat old-fashioned

  • pursue

    more modern and neutral; does not necessarily imply marriage

  • romance

    emphasises romantic gestures and charm

  • chase

    informal; sometimes implies persistence or eagerness

Antonyms
  • reject

    to refuse someone's romantic advances

  • spurn

    formal; to reject with scorn or disdain

Grammar Patterns

woo + person

woo + person + with + romantic gesture

Usage Note

This sense is somewhat old-fashioned in modern everyday English. 'Pursue' or 'date' are more common in casual speech. 'Woo' still appears in literature, historical writing, and formal contexts.

Common Mistakes

He wooed her and she said yes immediately.
He wooed her for months before she agreed to marry him.
'woo' describes the ongoing process of courtship, not the moment of acceptance.

Word family

  • wooer
    nounC1
  • wooing
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four verbs describe efforts to gain someone's favour, but they differ in approach and tone. Woo implies active attention paired with attractive offers, and is common in both business and romance. Court is more formal and suggests a respectful, patient campaign; politicians court donors, and suitors court partners. Cultivate focuses on building a relationship gradually over time, like tending a garden — a manager cultivates junior staff, not just asks for votes. Solicit is direct and transactional, used for donations, votes, or feedback, with less emotional investment. Curry favour with has a negative flavour of insincere flattery. In a sentence: 'The startup wooed investors with a flashy demo, courted regulators with thorough reports, and cultivated long-term allies in the community.'

courtcultivate ↗solicitcurry favour with

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • woo someone away from
  • woo someone's support

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

From Old English wōgian (to court, to seek favour), of uncertain Germanic origin. The original meaning was exclusively romantic courtship. By the 16th–17th centuries the word had broadened to include seeking favour or support in political, commercial, and social contexts — a shift that reflects the metaphor of treating a voter or customer like a romantic partner.