How to Use oomph in a Sentence

oomph

noun
  • The truck doesn't have the oomph to haul the boat.
  • The plot of the story lacks oomph.
  • Then the game started, and the roars had a bit more oomph.
    Chris Fedor, cleveland, 19 Feb. 2022
  • That’s a lot of oomph in a 4-pound, 6-inch brace height rig.
    Jace Bauserman, Outdoor Life, 7 Jan. 2021
  • That was the extra oomph needed to keep the crowd in the game.
    Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2024
  • This crook might have needed more oomph to get the job done.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2022
  • More weight in the back equals more forward oomph pushing the car down the hill.
    Andrew Zaleski, Popular Science, 3 June 2020
  • There, it was linked to equipment which gave it more oomph.
    The Economist, 7 Apr. 2021
  • That’s enough oomph to shoot the car from zero to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds.
    Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 17 Aug. 2023
  • How about something to add oomph to your brunch time bloody mary?
    Amy Drew Thompson, orlandosentinel.com, 19 Aug. 2021
  • For extra oomph, write a spooky saying in the center of the wreath.
    Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Oct. 2022
  • The first two essays are the ones that had the most oomph when they were first published—and still do.
    Adam Rogers, Wired, 10 Aug. 2021
  • As our Jump bikes lost their oomph, so did the 49 Mile Drive itself.
    Heather Knight, SFChronicle.com, 7 Sep. 2019
  • All that oomph is sent to the back wheels via a six-speed manual.
    Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 8 Jan. 2024
  • There's no doubt in our minds that with a little more oomph at the start, the F-250 would have made it to the finish line.
    David Beard, Car and Driver, 5 Feb. 2021
  • Alas, while five stocks looked promising, there was no oomph to be found.
    John S. Tobey, Forbes, 31 Jan. 2022
  • Rather than a simple pair of jeans, a denim skirt adds a bit of oomph to your look.
    Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 3 May 2024
  • From there, snack on them on their own, or sprinkle them on to your meal for more oomph.
    Caroline Tien, SELF, 3 Oct. 2024
  • This mousse doesn’t leave a trace in your hair, but helps limp hair get an extra oomph.
    Tatjana Freund, ELLE, 16 Dec. 2022
  • That gives it enough oomph to spiral up a triple helix.
    Arthur Levine, USA TODAY, 20 June 2019
  • Churchill is Boris Johnson’s idol; Churchill had oomph.
    Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2019
  • The late-season meeting point for this round, though, adds a bit more oomph than in years past.
    Shayna Rubin, The Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2019
  • Here's how to add some oomph to your favorite two-wheeler.
    Heidi Wachter, Treehugger, 8 Aug. 2023
  • While salt works well to bring the flavor out of bland turkey, there are a few ways to add even more oomph.
    Kate Merker, Good Housekeeping, 16 Oct. 2020
  • His melody unfolds with the simple oomph of a folklore.
    Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 24 Nov. 2019
  • That said, the GT500 isn’t exactly a car that was crying out for more oomph.
    Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 24 Aug. 2022
  • My friend added-on a soft-boiled egg ($2) to give his veggie ramen more oomph.
    Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al, 16 Jan. 2020
  • Tease your tail at the base for added oomph, or grab a ponytail extension to add body and length.
    Myranda Mondry, Allure, 26 June 2023
  • Malty black vinegar, salty soy sauce, and peppery ginger all add plenty of oomph.
    Bon Appétit, 28 Sep. 2024
  • Still, toggle Sport mode through the button on the center console, and mash the accelerator to feel a ton of oomph.
    Sean Evans, Robb Report, 10 Oct. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oomph.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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