Ever get stuck on a crossword or a poem? It happens to the best of us. You’re sitting there, staring at a blank page or a half-finished lyric, and you just need one specific sound. Things that rhyme with who seem like they should be easy because "who" is such a foundational word in English. It’s a high-frequency phoneme. It’s basically just a vowel sound preceded by a breath. But when you actually sit down to list them, your brain usually hits a wall after "blue" and "shoe."
Language is weird like that.
The "oo" sound (phonetically represented as /u/) is one of the most versatile in the English language, but its spelling is a total disaster. You have words ending in -oo, -ue, -ew, -ou, and even just a lonely -u. If you’re trying to write something that resonates, whether it’s a catchy marketing slogan or a heartfelt letter, understanding the nuance between these rhymes matters more than you’d think.
The Pure Rhymes: Back to Basics
Let's start with the obvious stuff. You have the "true" rhymes. These are words that match the vowel sound and the lack of a trailing consonant perfectly.
Think about blue. It’s the color of the sky, sure, but it’s also a mood. Then you have do. It’s a verb that does heavy lifting in almost every sentence we speak. Honestly, "do" is probably the most common rhyme you'll ever use. If you’re looking for something a bit more tangible, there’s shoe. Or zoo.
But wait.
Have you ever noticed how through sounds identical to threw? This is where English gets annoying for non-native speakers (and honestly, for those of us who grew up with it, too). One is a preposition indicating movement; the other is the past tense of throwing a ball. They rhyme with who perfectly, yet they look nothing like it on the page.
Then there is clue. Everyone loves a mystery. If you’re writing a story, your protagonist needs a clue. If they don't get one, they might end up blue. See how easy it starts to feel once you get a rhythm going?
The French Influence and the -ue Ending
A lot of our best rhymes for who come from Old French. Words like queue (the line you stand in at the airport) or revenue (though that’s a multi-syllable beast) carry a certain weight. Avenue is another one. It feels grander than a "street."
Actually, let’s talk about due. Not "do," but "due." In many American accents, these are homophones. They sound exactly the same. However, in some British dialects, there’s a tiny "y" sound tucked in there—something linguists call a "yod." For those speakers, "due" sounds more like "dyew," making it a near-rhyme rather than a perfect one. It’s a subtle distinction, but if you’re a songwriter, these tiny regional differences can change the entire flow of a verse.
Why Monosyllabic Rhymes Rule the World
Most of the things that rhyme with who are short. One syllable. Punchy.
- Gnu: That weird-looking African antelope.
- Flu: The thing that ruins your winter.
- Stew: A hearty meal or a state of agitation.
- Dew: What you find on the grass at 6:00 AM.
- Jew: A member of the Jewish people.
- Screw: A tool or a colloquial way to say someone got cheated.
Short words are easy to digest. They provide a "snap" at the end of a line. If you’re writing a children’s book, you want these. Dr. Seuss made an entire career out of these simple, percussive sounds. The Lorax wouldn't be the same without the "Gluppity-Glup" and the "Schloppity-Schlop," even if those are made-up words that play with the /u/ sound.
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Getting Fancy: Multi-Syllable Rhymes for Who
If you want to sound smart, or if you're writing a rap and need some "multis," you have to look past the one-syllable entries. This is where things get interesting.
Take bamboo. It’s got a great percussive quality. Tattoo is another one—it’s punchy and modern. Or consider subdue. It feels a bit more formal, a bit more serious.
What about imbue? It’s a beautiful word. To imbue something with a certain quality is to soak it through. It’s much more poetic than just saying you "filled" something.
Then you have the "into" and "onto" variations. Technically, into and onto rhyme with who if you stress the final syllable, but in natural speech, we usually de-emphasize that last part, turning it into a "schwa" sound (like "in-tuh"). If you're rhyming, you have to be careful with word stress. If you force a rhyme on an unstressed syllable, it sounds amateur.
The Curiosity of "Two" and "Too"
We can’t ignore the trio: To, Too, and Two.
It’s the classic grammar trap. But in the world of rhymes, they are your best friends. Two is the number. Too is the adverb meaning "also" or "excessively." To is the preposition. They all rhyme with who flawlessly.
Interestingly, the word "who" itself comes from the Old English hwā. Over centuries, the pronunciation shifted. We used to pronounce the 'h' and the 'w' more distinctly, sort of like "hwoo." Over time, the 'w' sound dropped out entirely, leaving us with the "hoo" sound we have today. This is why it rhymes with shoe but is spelled like who. English is basically a graveyard of dead pronunciations.
Slant Rhymes: When "Almost" Is Good Enough
Sometimes, a perfect rhyme is too on-the-nose. It can sound cheesy. This is why modern poets and songwriters often use "slant rhymes" (also called near rhymes or lazy rhymes).
Words like you, view, and knew are perfect rhymes for "who." But what about throughout? Or truth?
If you’re looking for things that rhyme with who but want to keep the audience on their toes, look at words that share the vowel but end in a soft consonant. Food, moon, spoon, and pool all have that same "oo" core. While they don't technically rhyme with "who" because of the trailing consonant, in the middle of a fast-paced sentence, the human ear often accepts them as "rhyme-adjacent."
The Cultural Impact of the "Who" Sound
Why does this specific rhyme matter? Look at branding.
Yahoo. Hulu. Roku. Vudu.
There is a reason tech companies love the "oo" sound. It’s "glidic." It feels friendly, bubbly, and easy to say. It mimics the "cooing" sound babies make. It’s approachable. When a company chooses a name that rhymes with who, they are tapping into a subconscious psychological preference for rounder, softer vowel sounds. This is often referred to as the "Bouba/Kiki effect," where humans across different cultures tend to associate the "oo" sound with round, soft shapes.
If you’re naming a product or a business, finding something that rhymes with who—or at least utilizes that sound—can actually make your brand more memorable.
A Quick Cheat Sheet for Creative Block
When you're stuck, it helps to categorize your options by "vibe."
If you need something natural:
Dew, gnu, bamboo, bayou.
If you need something active:
Do, threw, flew, pursue, renew.
If you need something descriptive:
Blue, new, true, undue.
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If you need something social:
Who, you, crew, rendezvous.
That last one, rendezvous, is a classic example of English "stealing" from French. We keep the French spelling but have totally surrendered the French "r" sound. It's a fancy way of saying "meeting," and it rhymes with who perfectly despite having ten letters to "who's" three.
The Pitfalls of Over-Rhyming
Don't overdo it.
If you cram too many things that rhyme with who into a single paragraph or stanza, you risk sounding like a greeting card from the 80s. The key to using these rhymes effectively is spacing. Use a "who" rhyme to anchor a thought, then move on.
Also, watch out for "forced rhymes." This is when you use a word like undue or accrew just because it rhymes, even if it doesn't quite fit the context of what you're saying. It’s better to have a slightly imperfect rhyme that makes sense than a perfect rhyme that feels like a reach.
Actionable Steps for Using Rhymes Effectively
Rhyming isn't just for poets. It’s a tool for communication. If you're trying to improve your writing or just win your next Wordle-adjacent game, here is how to handle these sounds.
- Check your syllable count. If you use "who" (one syllable), your rhyming word should ideally be one syllable too, unless you are intentionally trying to change the pace.
- Mind the spelling. Remember that "who" rhymes with "through," "do," and "clue." Don't let the "o" at the end of "who" trick you into only looking for other words ending in "o."
- Use a rhyming dictionary, but sparingly. Sites like RhymeZone are great, but they can lead you down a rabbit hole of obscure words (like smew—a type of duck) that no one actually knows.
- Read it aloud. This is the golden rule. The "oo" sound is very oral. If it feels clunky or "mouthy" when you say it, change it.
The next time you’re hunting for things that rhyme with who, remember that you have a massive library of options ranging from the simple "shoe" to the complex "rendezvous." Whether you’re writing a hit song or just trying to finish a clever Instagram caption, the right rhyme is usually just a breath away. Focus on the sound, ignore the spelling, and let the rhythm of the language do the work for you.