haw
/hɔː/interjection, verb, noun
haw is spelled H-A-W: 3 letters and one syllable. It appears 1.3 times per million words in written English, the 25,367th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data, counting Haw, the name). As an interjection, haw means “An imitation of laughter, often used to express scorn or disbelief. Often doubled or tripled (haw haw or haw haw haw)” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in haw?
| Letters | 3: H-A-W |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 1.3 times per million words; the 25,367th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with | |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is haw?
Haw appears 1.3 times per million words in written English, the 25,367th most frequent word form in the list. The list counts every capitalisation together, so this includes Haw, the name.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce haw?
- UK /hɔː/
- US /hɔː/
Haw has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-haw.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with haw?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as haw from its last stressed vowel (/ɔ/):
Spelled with the same letters in another order: wah, wha, awh.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of haw
- haws present, singular, he/she/it, plural
- hawing participle, present
- hawed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does haw mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
interjection
- 1
An imitation of laughter, often used to express scorn or disbelief. Often doubled or tripled (haw haw or haw haw haw).
You think that song was good? Haw!
- 2
An intermission or hesitation of speech, with a sound somewhat like "haw"; the sound so made.
- 3
An instruction for a horse or other animal to turn towards the driver, typically left.
verb
- 1
To stop, in speaking, with a sound like haw; to speak with interruption and hesitation.
- 2
To turn towards the driver, typically to the left.
This horse won't haw when I tell him to.
- 3
To cause (an animal) to turn left.
You may have to go to the front of the pack and physically haw the lead dog.
noun
- 1
Fruit of the hawthorn.
- 2
A hedge.
- 3
obsoleteSomething that has little value or importance; a whit or jot.
- 4
The third eyelid, or nictitating membrane.
- 5
A disease of the nictitating membrane.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Haw in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does haw come from?
From Middle English ha (interjection). Compare Old Norse há (interjection), Middle Low German ha, hā (interjection), Old High German aha, hei (interjection).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).