Meaning & use
what a charmer
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
Used to say that someone is very pleasant and good at pleasing people.
Grammar: Stands alone as a comment; you do not add a verb after it.
Patterns
- What a charmer!
- What a charmer, that one.
He brought flowers for everyone in the office — what a charmer!
What a charmer! She had the whole room laughing within five minutes.
phrasefixed phraseinformaldisapproving
Used with a joking or disapproving tone about someone who is flattering people to get what they want.
Grammar: Same words, but the voice falls at the end to show you are not really impressed.
Patterns
- What a charmer!
- He's a real charmer, isn't he?
He said he loved my idea and then took the credit — what a charmer!
What a charmer! He promised everyone a raise before the vote.
Common combinations
- what a charmer!
- What a charmer! He remembered my birthday again.
- a real charmer
- Her little brother is a real charmer with strangers.
- turn on the charm
- He turned on the charm as soon as the manager walked in.
- full of charm
- The old hotel is full of charm.
Synonyms and how they differ
- charmer
- The plain noun simply names such a person; 'what a charmer' is the exclamation you use when you react to them.
- smooth talker
- This is always negative and stresses clever, insincere speech, while 'what a charmer' can be genuine praise.
- people person
- This describes someone who enjoys being with others, not specifically someone who wins them over.
Word family
Commonly confused: what a charmer or charmer?
what a charmer vs charmer
The single word is a noun you can put in a sentence, as in 'He is a charmer.' The phrase 'what a charmer' is a complete exclamation and needs no subject or verb.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'what a charmer' most naturally?
Choose one answer.
'What a charmer!' works as a standalone exclamation commenting on someone, so option 2 fits. The others try to use it as a verb or to join it to a subject, which the phrase never allows.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “what a charmer”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.