hurrah: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal
Quick answer
What does “hurrah” mean?
An exclamation of joy, approval, triumph, or encouragement.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An exclamation of joy, approval, triumph, or encouragement; a cheer.
Used to express enthusiastic support or jubilation; can also function as a verb meaning to shout 'hurrah'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The spelling 'hurrah' is more common in British English, while 'hooray' or 'hurray' are frequent American variants. The verb form is rare in both.
Connotations
In both varieties, it can sound slightly old-fashioned or deliberately theatrical.
Frequency
More frequent in written narratives (e.g., historical fiction, reports of events) than in casual modern speech, where 'yay', 'woo', or 'yes!' are more common.
Grammar
How to Use “hurrah” in a Sentence
INTERJV: to hurrah (for sb/sth)N: let out a hurrahVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hurrah” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The crowd hurrahed as the queen appeared.
- They hurrahed for their victorious team.
American English
- Fans hoorayed when the touchdown was scored.
- The audience hurrayed at the end of the speech.
adverb
British English
- The children ran hurrah-ing down the street.
American English
- He yelled hooray into the microphone.
adjective
British English
- It was a real hurrah moment for the village.
- The atmosphere was one of hurrah excitement.
American English
- They planned a hooray send-off for the retiring director.
- It had a final hurray feeling.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Only in historical or literary analysis.
Everyday
Used for ironic or emphatic celebration, e.g., 'Hurrah! The internet is back.'
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hurrah”
- Spelling confusion: hurrah/hurray/hooray.
- Using it in formal writing as a direct interjection.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Hurrah' is the oldest standard form. 'Hooray' and 'hurray' are later variants, with 'hooray' being very common in American English. In usage, they are essentially interchangeable interjections.
Yes, but it is rare and stylistically marked (e.g., 'The crowd hurrahed'). In modern speech, 'cheered' is more natural.
It is informal. While it can appear in formal descriptive writing (e.g., 'A hurrah was heard'), it is primarily an informal exclamation.
It refers to a final period of excitement, celebration, or successful activity before retirement, the end of an era, or a significant change.
An exclamation of joy, approval, triumph, or encouragement.
Hurrah: in British English it is pronounced /hʊˈrɑː/, and in American English it is pronounced /hʊˈrɑː/ or /həˈrɑː/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “one last hurrah”
- “three cheers and a hurrah”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Sounds like 'HOORAH!' – imagine a crowd at a RAH-rah football game.
Conceptual Metaphor
VICTORY IS A LOUD SHOUT
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'hurrah' LEAST likely to be used?