yarn

noun \ ˈyärn \

|Updated on: 15 Jun 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

According to reports from the White House which is about as believable as Verbal Kent spinning a yarn, Melania returned home on Saturday, May 19, but remained out of the spotlight.

— stephen a. crockett jr., The Root, "Wait, Was That a Melania Trump Lookalike?," 5 June 2018
Most ballet audiences love a good story graphically told, but not all choreographers can spin a yarn successfully.

— allan ulrich, SFChronicle.com, "Oakland Ballet’s spring season springs to life under Graham Lustig’s guidance," 1 June 2018
Audiences have gotten familiar with this kind of cautionary yarn, where technology offers a lonely simulacrum of human contact.

— adi robertson, The Verge, "NBC’s new VR thriller Reverie is a schmaltzy take on techno-dystopia," 30 May 2018
It must be composed of India rubber and yarn, covered with leather.

— emma baccellieri, SI.com, "The Home Runs Keep Increasing, But Are the Baseballs Different After All?," 29 May 2018
The Golden Army takes what worked from the first film and spins an entirely new yarn—and tone—altogether.

— tom philip, GQ, "The Ultimate Guillermo del Toro Movie Is Now on Netflix," 4 May 2018
Bill Hirt, 56, tried not to poke anyone’s eye out with his elaborate headwear: a pink spider web made of wires and yarn.

— luis ferrÉ-sadurnÍ, New York Times, "Only in New York: Easter Parade With Moai Heads and a Kraken," 1 Apr. 2018
All books, patterns, mugs, tea towels and yarns are 20 percent off.

— mary mooney, OregonLive.com, "Come knit/crochet with cats at Knitters with Kitters!," 27 Mar. 2018
The Queens County Farm Museum, with its sheep, goats, alpacas, hens, bees and vegetable fields, covers a good chunk of its $3 million yearly operating budget by selling produce, eggs, yarn and honey to its 400,000 visitors.

— anne kadet, WSJ, "Free For All at Some New York City Museums Pays Off," 22 May 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

yarned; yarning; yarns

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