“Wow,” Sometimes accompanied by an exclamation mark is a word mostly associated with surprise, shock, astonishment, etc.
As an English speaker, one is bound to come across this word multiple times, not only in their own vocabulary but also in that of others. Both written and spoken.
Say you happen to be a guy, you would use the word a lot as well, but the question is why would you use the word “wow”, what could it mean when you use the word “wow”? Could it be shock and surprise? Could it be bewilderment?
Maybe confusion? It could even be anger, are you being sarcastic about it? Depending on the situation, there are multiple reasons a guy would exclaim the word “wow”.
In this article, let us explore a few of those reasons and possibly.. how to react to them depending on the way it is used.
7 Possible Meanings When a Guy Says “Wow?”
He is surprised or astonished
Wow is often used by people to express surprise or astonishment when they encounter something unexpected or extraordinary.
If a guy says “wow” in response to something – whether it is something he heard or saw- it could mean that he is genuinely impressed or surprised by it.
You might have just found the cure to cancer, or done a triple back flip. Anything at all that is pleasantly surprising can eject the words from his mouth.
Depending on the type of guy he is, you can tell how surprised he is. If he is a quiet or shy type, a loud wow means you blew his mind and he is amazed.
On another hand, if he is the boy who cried wow, you might take whatever it was that made him say wow with not much enthusiasm and a pinch of salt.
He is saying it out of appreciation and admiration
A guy can say wow if he finds something impressive, attractive, or praiseworthy. For example, you might have walked in looking lovely in a hot red dress or maybe you found the cure to cancer.
In this case, he is trying to say, “Wow that’s very impressive, you are a genius and you have saved the whole world” or “Omg, I didn’t know you were this beautiful”.
Either way, it might be hard for him to express himself in that moment when he is still overwhelmed with what is going on and so he easily expresses it by saying wow.
He can also use it to show appreciation. Say you were working on a project or brainstorming on a strategy for a project.
If you came up with an idea that works with a hitch, he can use this to say thank you because you have relieved not just him but the time of a task and they can forge ahead.
He is being sarcastic
A guy can also say wow in a sarcastic manner to say that he doesn’t believe you, or he thinks you are lying. When he says it, it will be very loud and it will sound exaggerated and forced.
It’s a way of telling you that he doesn’t see a lot of truth in your words. For example, if you tell him that you have five pools in your house, he can say a sarcastic wow with feigned excitement to tell you that he knows it is not true.
It can also be a way to say that he is not in support of what you are saying. It can be a way to get your attention and tell you without saying anything.
For example, he can say wow to your idea in an unnaturally loud way to point out some error or mistake or tell you he is not in support.
He is being a bully
He can also just do this if he is skeptical about what you are saying or trying to be mean.
For example, if you are talking to your friend at a party you are throwing or how excited you are at an event and he barges in and yells wow in an exaggerated manner, then he is trying to be mean and you should know what to do about meanies.
If it’s a friend who is doing this, then it might just be him trying to join the conversation and be funny. If he is not a friend, then he is definitely someone to ignore.
He finds something humorous or amusing
A guy can say wow as a reaction to something funny or hilarious that he says. He can say this with a light playful tone.
For example, if someone is telling him a story with a savage reply, can say wow to mean, “I didn’t see that coming but that’s hilarious”.
It can also be that he finds something entertaining and is reacting to it. Like some sports game or a comic movie.
He is confused
This is not one of the popular reasons a guy says wow but it is a real one. A guy can say wow when what he sees or discovers shocks him and confuses him.
It might be that what he has come across was something unexpected and he is perplexed as to how it came about and what to do about it. It can also be an overwhelming situation that he is reacting to.
For example, dumping a huge pile of books for him to read might make him say wow, especially if he doesn’t like reading and he realizes he can’t get out of it.
He is indifferent or uninterested
If you are trying to get his opinion on something or letting him know what is going on, and he replies with an unenthusiastic wow, then he is trying this way so that he doesn’t care.
For example, if you are telling him about your day while he su playing video games, he can say wow when you ask for a response or prod him for a reply.
He might do it unconsciously or consciously but know that either way, he would rather do something else than what you are trying to involve him in.
9 responses to give when a guy says “Wow”
When you want to respond to a guy saying wow, it is best to use the reasons he has said why to give an appropriate response.
It makes it easier to understand them and start, continue, or end the conversation.
I know, right? It’s pretty amazing!
You can tell him that you feel the same wow with this reply. If you are looking at say an artwork or the result of your hard work, or how things turned out, it is a simple response that works for everyone instead of just repeating the wow If it is someone showing it to you, you can just go for the later part of this reply: “This is pretty amazing”.
For example:
- I know, right? It’s pretty amazing. I am glad it turned out this way. It works best this way for everyone
- I got to say that Myles exceeded my expectations. “Wow” is an understatement of this masterpiece.
I’m glad you’re impressed! It’s even better in person.
This response is best if you are speaking over the phone or you are seeing each other virtually.
If you were showing them something you knew they would like for that singular reaction, you can use this response to tell them you are happy. For example:
- I’m glad you’re impressed! It’s better in person. You can feel it and enjoy it even more
- Thank goodness you like it. I wanted to get this singular reaction.
- I knew you would feel that way. It’s pretty cool and I’m glad I could share it with you.
Thank you! I worked hard on it
They don’t have to say you did a good job because their wow is that word of a thousand words.
You can add the later part of “I worked hard on it” if it is someone you want to talk to or someone you want to share something with. For example:
- Thank you. I really worked hard on this part to make sure that it was something you liked.
- I appreciate the reaction. It tells me you really like it. Do you like the touches on this side or would you like to make any changes?
If there is something you want to say let me know
If he gives a sarcastic wow in a group it can be very hurtful no matter the point they are trying to paint.
The best way to handle this is instead of yelling at them or saying anything that you would regret, you can tell them to let you know what it is that they wish to share with everyone. Here’s how:
- It’s nice to have someone else speak up. Can you share what you have in mind, Gerald?
- If you have something contrary to what I have said, I would appreciate it if you addressed us properly.
Is it really that hard to believe?
While most will tell you to ignore him, that might not work for every bully as there are persistent ones that would keep at it just to get a response from you. Here’s what you can say:
- Is it really hard to believe or are you jealous? Being honest will make things better for you.
- Yes wow. I have accomplished things because I minded my business instead of butting into conversations that don’t concern me
I’m glad I could make you laugh!
They say it’s good to spread joy and brighten the corner you find yourself, so if you did or showed them something that made them laugh, you can say these to tell them how you feel:
- I’m glad I could make you laugh. I like being a joy giver. Mission accomplished!
- Glad you smiled. I found it pretty hilarious too. I got a lot more if you want.
I know, right? It’s a lot to take in
You can use this response to sympathize with them or tell them you are here for them. In overwhelming situations, you should start with small things to explain so that they don’t give up.
This reply is a way to do that. Here’s how to say it:
- I know it’s a bit confusing. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it myself but we can take things slowly to make things better and easier.
- Calm down. Try to assess things and we will know where to start from so you don’t get overwhelmed.
- How about this? With this buck of work, I will talk half of this and get started and you can work with the remaining half. How does it sound?
Well, I guess it’s not for everyone
You can say this to tell them that you have noted that not only are they occupied but they also don’t care about what’s going on.
You can tell them this to tell them that you give up although you wish they would have been more interested. You can say:
- Well, I guess this is not for everyone. I would leave you to your business.
- If you’re not impressed, that’s okay. It’s not really for a wide audience but you should try it someday.
- Stop the pretense l. I will come back later when you are less busy and you can pay attention on this.
What makes it so unbelievable?
If they said wow cos they don’t believe what they said, you can challenge them especially if they are rude about it you can try to politely explain to them to make it easy. Here’s how to say it:
- Why the reaction? What makes it so unbelievable? I have proof if that would make you understand.
- I know it sounds difficult to believe but from the statistics, if things dn the pictures available on the subject, we have no accept it as the truth.
In the end
People communicate differently, it’s best to understand who they are speaking with so you can understand why they said what they said and so that you know the appropriate way to respond to them. Cheers.
