Meaning & use
oh please
Last updated
Meanings
interjectionfixed phraseinformal
Used to show that you do not believe what someone has just said, or that you think it is silly.
Grammar: Stands alone as a reaction; it does not take an object and is usually followed by a comment or by silence.
Patterns
- oh please, ...
- oh please!
Oh please, you didn't really think I would believe that story, did you?
Oh please! You expect me to wait three hours in the rain?
He said he was the best player in the school. Oh please.
interjectionfixed phraseinformal
Used to ask someone to stop doing or saying something because it annoys you.
Grammar: Said with a falling tone, often to a friend or family member; it can sound impatient.
Patterns
- oh please, stop ...
- oh please, not again
Oh please, not that song again.
Oh please, can we talk about something else?
Common combinations
- oh please, not again
- Oh please, not again — the computer has crashed a third time.
- oh please, spare me
- Oh please, spare me the details; I've heard enough.
- oh please, give me a break
- Oh please, give me a break — nobody works that fast.
Synonyms and how they differ
- come on
- Also shows disbelief or impatience, but it is more common in American English and can be used to encourage someone as well.
- give me a break
- Stronger and more dismissive; it suggests the speaker is tired of the situation, not just doubting it.
Commonly confused: oh please or yes, please?
oh please vs yes, please
This is a polite way to accept an offer, while 'oh please' usually expresses disbelief or annoyance.
Practice
Your friend says, 'I can eat fifty eggs in one minute.' Which reply fits best?
Choose one answer.
'Oh please' shows disbelief, so it fits a claim that sounds impossible. The other options use 'please' as a polite request, which does not match the situation.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “oh please”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.