Interjections

Ack
communicates disgust or dismissal.

Ah
can denote positive emotions like relief or delight.

Aha
signals triumph or surprise, or perhaps derision.

Ahem
employed to gain attention.

Argh
often drawn out with additional h’s, is all about frustration.

Aw
can be dismissive or indicative of disappointment, or, when drawn out, expressive of sympathy or adoration.

Aye
denotes agreement.

Bah
is dismissive.

Blah
communicates boredom or disappointment.

Blech or bleah or bleh
implies nausea.

Boo
an exclamation to provoke fright.

Boo-hoo
is imitative of crying and is derisive.

Boo-ya
is a cry of triumph.

Bwah-hah-hah variously spelled, including mwah-hah-hah
facetiously mimics the stereotypical archvillain’s triumphant laugh.

D’oh
the spelling for the muttering accompanying Homer Simpson’s trademark head-slapping self-.

Duh
derides someone who seems dense.

Eek
indicates an unpleasant surprise.

Eh?
a question mark, is a request for repetition or confirmation of what was just said; without, it is dismissive.

Er
plays for time.

Ew
denotes disgust, intensified by the addition of one or more e’s and/or w’s.

Feh and its cousin meh
an indication of feeling underwhelmed or disappointed.

Gak
an expression of disgust or distaste.

Ha
expresses joy or surprise, or perhaps triumph.

Ha-ha
communicates laughter or derision.

Hamana-hamana
implies speechless embarrassment.

Hardy-har-har, or har-har
communicates mock amusement.

Hee-hee
a mischievous laugh, while its variants heh and heh-heh can have a more derisive connotation.

Hey
can express surprise or exultation, or can be used to request repetition or call for attention.

Hist
signals the desire for silence.

Hm
extended as needed, suggests curiosity, confusion, consternation, or skepticism.

Hmph
indicates displeasure or indignation.

Ho-ho
is expressive of mirth, or (along with its variant oh-ho) can indicate triumph of discovery.

Ho-hum
signals indifference or boredom.

Hubba-hubba
is the vocal equivalent of a leer.

Huh
a sign of disbelief, confusion, or surprise, or, with a question mark, is a request for repetition.

Hup
from the sound-off a military cadence chant, signals beginning an exerting task.

Hurrah also hoorah, hooray, and hurray, and even huzzah
an exclamation of triumph or happiness.

Ick
signals disgust.

Lah-de-dah
denotes nonchalance or dismissal, or derision about pretension.

Mm-hmm
variously spelled, is an affirmative or corroborating response.

Mmm
extended as needed, conveys palatable or palpable pleasure.

Mwah
suggestive of a kiss, often implying unctuous or exaggerated affection.

Neener-neener
Often uttered in a series of three repetitions, is a taunt.

Now
is uttered as an admonition.

Oh
is among the most versatile of interjections. Use it to indicate comprehension or acknowledgment to preface direct address as a sign of approximation or example or to express emotion or serves as a response to a pain or pleasure.

Oh-oh
or alternatives in which oh is followed by various words is a warning response to something that will have negative repercussions.

Oi
Conveys shock/surprise

Olé
with an accent mark over the e, is borrowed from Spanish and is a vocal flourish to celebrate a deft or adroit maneuver.

Ooh
With o’s repeated as needed, conveys interest or admiration, or, alternatively, disdain.

Ooh-la-la
A response to an attempt to impress or gently mocks pretension or finery.

Oops (and the jocular diminutive variation oopsie or oopsy and the variant whoops) calls attention to an error or fault.

Ouch (or ow, extended as needed) signals pain or is a response to a harsh word or action.

Oy
part of Yiddish expressions such as oy gevalt (equivalent to “Uh-oh”), is a lament of frustration, concern, or self-pity.

Pff
extended as needed, expresses disappointment, disdain, or annoyance.

Pfft, or phfft
communicates abrupt ending or departure or is a sardonic dismissal akin to pff.

Phew, or pew
Communicates disgust, fatigue, or relief. (Phooey, also spelled pfui, is a signal for disgust, too, and can denote dismissal as well. PU and P.U. are also variants.)

Poof
is imitative of a sudden disappearance, as if by magic.

Pooh
a contemptuous exclamation.

Pshaw
denotes disbelief, disapproval, or irritation or, alternatively, communicates facetious self-consciousness.

Psst
call someone quietly.

Rah
perhaps repeated, signals triumph.

Shh
is an imperative for silence.

Sis boom bah
an outdated encouraging cry, most likely to be used mockingly now.

Tchah
communicates annoyance.

Tsk-tsk and its even snootier variant tut-tut
are condemnations or scoldings; the related sound tch is the teeth-and-tongue click of disapproval.

Ugh
an exclamation of disgust.

Uh
an expression of skepticism or a delaying tactic.

Uh-huh
indicates affirmation or agreement.

Uh-oh
signals concern or dismay.

Uh-uh
is the sound of negation or refusal.

Um
A placeholder for a pause but also denotes skepticism.

Va-va-voom
an old-fashioned exclamation denoting admiration of physical attractiveness.

Whee
an exclamation of excitement or delight.

Whew is a variant of phew but can also express amazement.

Whoa
a call to halt or an exclamation of surprise or relief.

Whoop-de-doo
convey mocking reaction to something meant to impress.

Woo and woo-hoo and variations like yahoo, yee-haw, and yippee
indicate excitement.

Wow
expresses surprise.

Yay
a congratulatory exclamation. (Not to be confused with yeah, a variant of yes.)

Yikes
an expression of fear or concern, often used facetiously.

Yo-ho-ho
the traditional pirates’ refrain.

Yoo-hoo attracts attention.

Yow, or yowza,
an exclamation of surprise or conveys being impressed.

Yuck also spelled yech or yecch
signals disgust.

Yum, or yummy,
a response to the taste of something delicious and, by extension, the sight of an attractive person.

Zoinks
an expression of surprise or amazement popularized by the cartoon character Shaggy, of Scooby Doo fame.

Zowie
often in combination following wowie, a variant of wow, expresses admiration or astonishment.