woo him

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "woo him" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when referring to the act of trying to gain someone's affection or love. Example: "He decided to woo her with flowers and romantic dinners." Alternative expressions include "court him" and "pursue him."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

52 human-written examples

Rebuffed, Parvati tried to woo him on his own terms.

The New Yorker

But that fall, Teach for America began its to woo him to join its ranks.

The New York Times

Republicans had to decide whether to attack Mr. King or woo him to their side.

The New York Times

The Knicks, the Nets and others are lining up to woo him.

The New York Times - Sports

He imposter disappeared with hundreds of thousands of dollars or more used to woo him.

The New York Times

One contestant, a women's rights activist, did a sultry cage dance to woo him.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

5 human-written examples

Cal and Stanford wooed him intensely.

The New York Times

She wooed him.

The New York Times - Books

She woos him while she is high on pain medications.

The New York Times - Arts

Though Democratic leaders wooed him, some party activists rebelled.

The New York Times

Both universities wooed him, as did Louisiana State and Southern California.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Employ this phrase in political writing to describe attempts to gain the support of a swing voter or a key stakeholder.

Common error

Avoid using "woo him" to describe a simple, passive attraction. The phrase implies an active, often calculated effort to persuade or gain favor. For passive states, use words like "like him" or "be attracted to him" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "woo him" functions as a transitive verb phrase. According to Ludwig, it is most frequently used as an infinitive (e.g. "to "woo him"") following auxiliary verbs or in purpose clauses. The verb "woo" requires a direct object, which in this case is the masculine objective pronoun "him".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Science

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "woo him" is a versatile and effective English expression used to describe the act of seeking someone's favor. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and exceptionally common in high-quality journalism. Its usage spans various domains: in sports, it describes teams chasing star athletes; in politics, it refers to parties trying to attract key figures; and in romance, it retains its original meaning of seeking love. While alternatives like <a href="/s/court+him" target="_blank" rel="alternative">court him or <a href="/s/win+him+over" target="_blank" rel="alternative">win him over exist, "woo him" provides a specific nuance of active, strategic pursuit that is widely understood and professionally acceptable.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

court him

More formal and often carries a stronger romantic or traditional connotation

pursue him

Implies a more persistent and active chase, used both in dating and professional recruitment

win him over

Focuses on the successful result of changing someone's opinion or gaining their support

entice him

Suggests the use of specific rewards or attractions to gain interest

charm him

Focuses on the use of personality or charisma rather than strategic efforts

solicit him

Much more formal and transactional, often used in legal or official requests

attract him

A more passive verb describing the state of drawing interest rather than the active effort of wooing

lobby him

Strictly limited to political or corporate contexts where influence is the goal

romance him

Exclusively romantic and suggests a series of affectionate gestures

allure him

Slightly more literary or archaic, focusing on mysterious attraction

FAQs

How to use "woo him" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe recruitment or persuasion, such as: "The team sent a delegation to <a href="/s/woo+him" target="_blank" rel="alternative">woo him with a lucrative contract offer."

What is the difference between "woo him" and "court him"?

While both mean to seek favor, "<a href="/s/court+him" target="_blank" rel="alternative">court him" is often more formal or romantic, whereas "woo him" is frequently used in modern journalism for business recruitment and political lobbying.

Is "woo him" professional enough for a business report?

Yes, it is commonly used in high-level business journalism to describe aggressive recruitment tactics. Alternatives like "<a href="/s/recruit+him" target="_blank" rel="alternative">recruit him" or "<a href="/s/entice+him" target="_blank" rel="alternative">entice him" are also appropriate.

What can I say instead of "woo him"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "<a href="/s/win+him+over" target="_blank" rel="alternative">win him over", "<a href="/s/persuade+him" target="_blank" rel="alternative">persuade him" or "<a href="/s/attract+him" target="_blank" rel="alternative">attract him".