yarn

noun \ ˈyärn \

Updated on: 21 Apr 2018

Definition of yarn

1 a : a continuous often plied strand composed of either natural or man-made fibers or filaments and used in weaving and knitting to form cloth

b : a similar strand of another material (such as metal, glass, or plastic)

2 : a narrative of adventures; especially : a tall tale

a roaring good yarn

See yarn defined for English-language learners

See yarn defined for kids

Examples of yarn in a Sentence

The sheep's wool will be spun into yarn.
yarns about ghosts and goblins
a storyteller who spins yarns that will keep any audience riveted

Recent Examples of yarn from the Web

Bring your favorite pattern, needles, bright yarn and a giving spirit.

— Sun-Sentinel.com, "Delray Beach area events: April 4-14," 2 Apr. 2018
But the old yarn about its current coach might make Sister Jean blush.

— david waldstein, New York Times, "The Coach, the Rivalry and the Stolen Blazer," 29 Mar. 2018
The two use yarn donated by others, and are always in need of more.

— rosemarie dowell, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Osprey Lodge residents devoted to crocheting things for charity," 23 Mar. 2018
Somehow a lamentable yarn about Jevon Kearse beating Orlando Sr. on a long-ago pass rush resurfaced.

— brian hamilton, SI.com, "Better than Zeus: Driven by dad's success and failure, life and death, Orlando Brown Jr. aims to be own legend," 13 Sep. 2016
Doug Masery works at a yarn studio near the college where Kasich spoke.

— jessie balmert, Cincinnati.com, "Primary challenge to President Trump? John Kasich doesn't have an answer yet," 3 Apr. 2018
What is is: A celebration of all things yarn-related, and of local businesses.

— mary mooney, OregonLive.com, "Snow, ice force some Portland-area yarn stores to shut, tweak hours," 21 Feb. 2018
After that first Rapunzel wig in 2015, and help from church friends making more, a Facebook request for yarn donations went viral.

— zaz hollander, Anchorage Daily News, "‘Strands of Magic’: Alaska moms get national recognition for yarn wigs," 13 Feb. 2018
These are the types of yarns hunters sometimes spin to explain empty game bags.

— paul a. smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Smith: Food, females and adults bright spots in hunting recruitment efforts," 10 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'yarn.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of yarn

Middle English, from Old English gearn; akin to Old High German garn yarn, Greek chordē string, Latin hernia rupture, Sanskrit hira band

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

yarn Synonyms

Synonyms

narrative, novelette, novella, short story, story, tale;

Related Words

bedtime story;

exemplum, fable, parable;

anecdote, joke;

fairy tale, folktale, legend, myth, romance;

account, annals, chronicle, history, record, report;

Other Textiles Terms

batt, bias, brocade, duck, flock, lawn, toile

yarn

verb

Definition of yarn

intransitive verb

: to tell a yarn

—

yarner

noun

Recent Examples of yarn from the Web

Forty-eight vendors sold everything from fresh beef and eggs to yarn made from alpaca fiber, handmade signs and bags, to natural soaps and body products.

— denise coffey, Courant Community, "Winter Farmers Market Draws Hundreds," 21 Mar. 2018
Kaye, who has since created crochet content for the Gap, Valentino, Starbucks, and Miller Lite (in which she yarn bombed an entire 50-by-25 foot billboard in Times Square), started crocheting at 13, selling scarves to her dance studio classmates.

— niree noel, Los Angeles Magazine, "London Kaye Is Bombing L.A. (With Yarn)," 9 Feb. 2018

First Known Use of yarn

1812

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

YARN Defined for English Language Learners

yarn

noun

Definition of yarn for English Language Learners

: a long, thin piece of cotton, wool, etc., that is thicker than thread and that is used for knitting and weaving
: an exciting or interesting story; especially : a story that is so surprising or unusual that it is difficult to believe