Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in aqueous solutions has a hydrophobic character which can induce the hydrophobic interaction between its nonpolar parts. The hydrophobic properties of aqueous PEO solutions are studied by the viscometry in terms of the water structure-making and -breaking capabilities of added solutes of ureas. The results show that the contracted conformation of PEO of low molecular weight, namely poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), does not result from the hydrophobic interaction between the nonpolar parts of PEO but it can participate in a hydrophobic interaction between the nonpolar parts of PEO and added ureas solutes with nonpolar groups, which can induce a large hydrodynamic volume and increase the viscosity. On the other hand, the PEO of large molecular weight seems to behave like any other water soluble polymers with nonpolar parts and its conformation in aqueous solutions is well explained in terms of water structure perturbing capabilities of added ureas.