1
plural yellows
1
: something yellow or marked by a yellow color: such as
a
sometimes offensive
: a person having light olive or light brown skin
b
: the yolk of an egg
2
a
: a color whose hue resembles that of ripe lemons or sunflowers or is that of the portion of the spectrum lying between green and orange
b
: a pigment or dye that colors yellow
3
4
yellows plural in form but singular in construction
: any of several plant diseases caused especially by phytoplasmas and marked by yellowing of the foliage and stunting
yellowed; yellowing; yellows
: to become or turn yellow
: to make yellow : give a yellow tinge or color to
yellowed by time
Synonyms
Examples of yellow in a Sentence
Adjective
He was too yellow to stand up and fight.
you'll come with us into the cave, unless you're yellow
Noun
The bridesmaids were dressed in yellow.
a room decorated in yellows and greens
Verb
The paper had yellowed with age.
The leaves were yellowed by disease.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Andrea Park, Teen Vogue, 20 July 2017
In addition to selling yellow mustard and hot sauce, the division makes ketchup, onion flavorings and other products.
—Nick Turner, Bloomberg.com, 19 July 2017
Three prominent Austin chefs teamed up with the Youngblood family to build a new restaurant from scratch that looks like a legacy chicken dinner house, down to the bright blue-and-yellow colors and the helpings of hot yeast rolls with honey.
—Bud Kennedy, star-telegram, 19 July 2017
Majeski pulled off with two laps remaining during the final yellow flag situation.
—Tony Baranek, Daily Southtown, 16 July 2017
Either red or yellow maca will work here, but the flavor of the red is more mild.
—Anya Tchoupakov, Bon Appetit, 12 July 2017
The group recently wore matching black polos with yellow piping from the British brand, like some sort of unofficial uniform.
—Christine Flammia, Esquire, 10 July 2017
Layered yellow atop thick green strokes conjure up a bouquet without providing any detail.
—Anne Kniggendorf, kansascity.com, 3 July 2017
Ebony, 32, slipped the voucher back into its bright yellow folder and waited.
—Alden Woods, azcentral, 2 July 2017
Gabe Hartwig, chicagotribune.com, 9 June 2017
There isn’t even a cross walk or a speed bump or a caution sign or a flashing yellow; there is nothing but blacktop for miles.
—Neil Senturia, sandiegouniontribune.com, 5 June 2017
Three other sterile barberry varieties that are being grown by wholesalers for later sale are a super compact cultivar with yellow foliage, and two compact shrubs, one with yellow and the other with green foliage.
—Theresa Sullivan Barger, courant.com, 1 June 2017
The gleaming fleet of green-and-yellow John Deere tractors is still driven by Chinese workers, while almost two-thirds of Gaza's population lives in poverty.
—Bloomberg.com, 22 May 2017
A video posted last month of Xiaoman biting off tender morsels of yellow...
—Kathy Chu, WSJ, 21 May 2017
Kathy Barr, Rolling Stone, 15 Nov. 2023
But over the holidays, a glass of red wine or a cup of tea is ever-so tempting– increasing the chances of teeth yellowing.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 9 Nov. 2023
Some were handwritten, some were yellowed, and, in later years, printed in color.
—K.k. Rebecca Lai, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2023
Prevention Some of the most common causes of enamel erosion, which yellows your teeth, and stains include acidic fruits, candy, soda, and soft drinks.
—Claire Gillespie, Health, 18 Oct. 2023
First eggs, then cracks The pages are now yellowed, the black-and-white photos faded.
—Julie Jag, The Salt Lake Tribune, 4 Aug. 2023
But the Gulf of Maine has instead been yellowing, Balch said, as a rise in the frequency of heavy storms has increased the amount of runoff from the region’s sediment-laden rivers and other waters.
—David Abel, BostonGlobe.com, 19 July 2023
Similarly, gray and white hair can skew yellow or look dull quickly—due to pigment loss—when not kept in tip-top condition with the right shampoo.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 22 June 2023
An illustration of his dear friend Prince, depicted in mournful purple rain, on a yellowing copy of the Village Voice from the week the musician died in 2016.
—Jada Yuan, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2023
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Adjective
The look features bright coral eyeshadow covering the eyelid, a fuchsia shade in the crease, and a swipe of fluorescent yellow eyeliner on the outside half of the eye and right under the brow.
—Andrea Park, Teen Vogue, 20 July 2017
In addition to selling yellow mustard and hot sauce, the division makes ketchup, onion flavorings and other products.
—Nick Turner, Bloomberg.com, 19 July 2017
Three prominent Austin chefs teamed up with the Youngblood family to build a new restaurant from scratch that looks like a legacy chicken dinner house, down to the bright blue-and-yellow colors and the helpings of hot yeast rolls with honey.
—Bud Kennedy, star-telegram, 19 July 2017
Majeski pulled off with two laps remaining during the final yellow flag situation.
—Tony Baranek, Daily Southtown, 16 July 2017
Either red or yellow maca will work here, but the flavor of the red is more mild.
—Anya Tchoupakov, Bon Appetit, 12 July 2017
The group recently wore matching black polos with yellow piping from the British brand, like some sort of unofficial uniform.
—Christine Flammia, Esquire, 10 July 2017
Layered yellow atop thick green strokes conjure up a bouquet without providing any detail.
—Anne Kniggendorf, kansascity.com, 3 July 2017
Ebony, 32, slipped the voucher back into its bright yellow folder and waited.
—Alden Woods, azcentral, 2 July 2017
Noun
Living Room Suites use bold combinations of deep yellow and navy blue.
—Gabe Hartwig, chicagotribune.com, 9 June 2017
There isn’t even a cross walk or a speed bump or a caution sign or a flashing yellow; there is nothing but blacktop for miles.
—Neil Senturia, sandiegouniontribune.com, 5 June 2017
Three other sterile barberry varieties that are being grown by wholesalers for later sale are a super compact cultivar with yellow foliage, and two compact shrubs, one with yellow and the other with green foliage.
—Theresa Sullivan Barger, courant.com, 1 June 2017
The gleaming fleet of green-and-yellow John Deere tractors is still driven by Chinese workers, while almost two-thirds of Gaza's population lives in poverty.
—Bloomberg.com, 22 May 2017
A video posted last month of Xiaoman biting off tender morsels of yellow...
—Kathy Chu, WSJ, 21 May 2017
Verb
This non-invasive tooth scrub works wonders on yellowing teeth, offering noticeable results even after the first use.
—Kathy Barr, Rolling Stone, 15 Nov. 2023
But over the holidays, a glass of red wine or a cup of tea is ever-so tempting– increasing the chances of teeth yellowing.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 9 Nov. 2023
Some were handwritten, some were yellowed, and, in later years, printed in color.
—K.k. Rebecca Lai, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2023
Prevention Some of the most common causes of enamel erosion, which yellows your teeth, and stains include acidic fruits, candy, soda, and soft drinks.
—Claire Gillespie, Health, 18 Oct. 2023
First eggs, then cracks The pages are now yellowed, the black-and-white photos faded.
—Julie Jag, The Salt Lake Tribune, 4 Aug. 2023
But the Gulf of Maine has instead been yellowing, Balch said, as a rise in the frequency of heavy storms has increased the amount of runoff from the region’s sediment-laden rivers and other waters.
—David Abel, BostonGlobe.com, 19 July 2023
Similarly, gray and white hair can skew yellow or look dull quickly—due to pigment loss—when not kept in tip-top condition with the right shampoo.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 22 June 2023
An illustration of his dear friend Prince, depicted in mournful purple rain, on a yellowing copy of the Village Voice from the week the musician died in 2016.
—Jada Yuan, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'yellow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English yelwe, yelow, from Old English geolu; akin to Old High German gelo yellow, Latin helvus light bay, Greek chlōros greenish yellow, Sanskrit hari yellowish
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Time Traveler
The first known use of yellow was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing yellow
Articles Related to yellow
Dictionary Entries Near yellow
Cite this Entry
“Yellow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yellow. Accessed 11 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
yellow
1 of 2 adjective
yel·low
ˈyel-ō 
1
a
: of the color yellow
b
: yellowish from age, disease, or discoloring
2
yellow
verb
yellowness
noun
yellow
2 of 2 noun1
: a color like that of ripe lemons
2
: something yellow or yellowish
More from Merriam-Webster on yellow
Nglish: Translation of yellow for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of yellow for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about yellow
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