shoo

1 of 2

interjection

ˈshü 

—used especially in driving away an unwanted animal

shoo

2 of 2

verb

shooed; shooing; shoos

transitive verb

: to scare, drive, or send away by or as if by crying shoo

shooed us away from the kitchen

Examples of shoo in a Sentence

Verb

We tried to help her, but she shooed us away.

He shooed the cat out of the house.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The usual bleary nausea of such early rises is absent, shooed away by sobriety, exercises, and fruits and vegetables. — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Sixers fans that crammed aisles and stairways trying to catch a first glimpse or a snapshot of James were shooed back to their seats. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026

Guastavino’s, a seven-thousand-square-foot event venue situated under the ramp to the Queensboro Bridge, had been treating a small park out front as its private property—roping it off and shooing away pedestrians. — Parker Henry, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026

Alan wandered over and shooed away the women in their high heels. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Interjection

Middle English schowe

First Known Use

Interjection

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1798, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing shoo

• shoo-in

Rhymes for shoo

• blew
• blue
• boo
• brew
• chew
• chou
• clue
• coo
• coup
• crew
• cue
• dew

Kids Definition

shoo

verb

ˈshü

: to scare, drive, or send away by or as if by crying shoo

shooed everyone out of the kitchen