yawn

1 of 2

verb

ˈyȯn 

ˈyän

yawned; yawning; yawns

intransitive verb

1

: to open wide : gape

2

: to open the mouth wide and take a deep breath usually as an involuntary reaction to fatigue or boredom

transitive verb

1

: to utter with a yawn

2

: to accomplish with or impel by yawns

his grandchildren yawned him to bed

—L. L. King

yawn

2 of 2

noun

1

: gap, cavity

2

: an opening of the mouth wide while taking a deep breath often as an involuntary reaction to fatigue or boredom

also : a reaction resembling a yawn

a … success at the box office but drew only yawns from critics

—Current Biography

3

: bore entry 5

this book is kind of a yawn

—Ilene L. Cooper

Synonyms

Noun

• bore
• drip

Examples of yawn in a Sentence

Verb

Students were yawning in class.

Noun

I tried to stifle a yawn.

as neither candidate was willing to make an unequivocal statement about anything, the debate proved to be a complete yawn

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

But Columbus grabbed the momentum, and the lead, back with 72 seconds left in the second period when an errant deflection left Marchenko with a yawning net to hit, and the visitors took a 3-2 lead into the second intermission. —Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 12 Oct. 2025

Had Konecny been able to chip the puck into the yawning net rather than just wide, the Flyers would have tied the score at 2 and been in a prime position to steal at least a point. —Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025

Noun

But historically, investors have met them with a collective yawn. —Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025

Marco Rubio, one arm flung over the back of his chair, made no attempt to disguise a yawn. —Seth Harp, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English yenen, yanen, from Old English ginian; akin to Old High German ginēn to yawn, Latin hiare, Greek chainein

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1602, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for yawn

• aune
• bon
• bonne
• brawn
• chon
• con
• conn
• crohn
• dawn
• drawn
• fawn
• gone

Kids Definition

yawn

1 of 2 verb

ˈyȯn 

ˈyän

1

: to open wide : gape

2

: to open the mouth wide and take a deep breath usually as a reaction to being tired or bored

yawner noun

yawn

2 of 2 noun

: an opening of the mouth wide while taking a deep breath often as an involuntary reaction

Medical Definition

yawn

1 of 2 intransitive verb

ˈyȯn, ˈyän 

: to open the mouth wide and take a deep breath usually as an involuntary reaction to fatigue or boredom

yawn

2 of 2 noun

: an opening of the mouth wide while taking a deep breath often as an involuntary reaction to fatigue or boredom