yarn

play

noun \ ˈyärn \

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

A bigger yarn size means a thicker feel, a greater ability to crease and thus display sharp fades, and a more strenuous initial break-in period.

— jaclyn gallucci, Fortune, "This Is What You Get When You Spend $1,500 on a Pair of Jeans," 23 Aug. 2017
Watch artist London Kaye produce a 20-foot-long yarn work from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday.

— star-telegram, "Hello, weekend! Top 10 things to do in Fort Worth, Dallas," 17 Aug. 2017
Silk spun yarns about introducing his surfer buddies to Rome’s work in the early-1990s.

— ben golliver, SI.com, "A Jungle Reunion: Inside One Man's Dream to Re-Create a 1996 SI Photo Shoot," 5 Aug. 2017
After all, every epic yarn ahs a similar figure: Jesus.

— joanna robinson, HWD, "New Game of Thrones Trailer Blows a Hole in the “Chosen One” Theory," 21 July 2017
Lululemon's Silverescent line infuses 99.9 percent pure silver directly into the yarn fiber, via a partnership with Noble Biomaterials Inc.

— tim newcomb, Popular Mechanics, "They're Putting Gold, Silver, and Even Coffee in Clothes to Beat Your B.O.," 20 July 2017
And Candylady (earthy Eva Abram) has advice and yarns aplenty to dispense.

— misha berson, The Seattle Times, "‘Hoodoo Love’ review: a tale of survival in the bluesy South," 19 July 2017
Foam company Aerofoam Industries even weaves Kevlar in with its proprietary yarns.

— tyler moss, CNT, "4 Innovations Keeping Air Travel Safe," 6 July 2017
But while U-boats and Nazis lurking in and around Portsmouth make for captivating yarns, chances are, none of it's true.

— sarah wesley lemire, courant.com, "Portsmouth: Where Naval History, Charm Converge," 5 July 2017

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

See Words from the same year

yarn Synonyms

Synonyms

anecdote, tale, story

Related Words

episode, event, happening, incident, occurrence; recital, recitation

Other Textiles Terms

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

yarn

verb

Definition of yarn

intransitive verb

:to tell a yarn

—

yarner

noun

First Known Use of yarn

1812

YARN Defined for English Language Learners

yarn

play

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