yield

1 of 2

verb

ˈyēld 

yielded; yielding; yields

transitive verb

1

a

: to bear or bring forth as a natural product especially as a result of cultivation

the tree always yields good fruit

b

: to produce or furnish as return

this soil should yield good crops

c(1)

: to produce as return from an expenditure or investment : furnish as profit or interest

a bond that yields 12 percent

(2)

: to produce as revenue : bring in

the tax is expected to yield millions

2

: to give up possession of on claim or demand: such as

a

: to surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another : hand over possession of

b

: to give (oneself) up to an inclination, temptation, or habit

c

: to relinquish one's possession of (something, such as a position of advantage or point of superiority)

yield precedence

d

: to surrender or submit (oneself) to another

e

: to give up (one's breath, life, or spirit) and so die

3

: to give or render as fitting, rightfully owed, or required

4

: to give up (a hit or run) in baseball

yielded two runs in the third inning

5

archaic : recompense, reward

intransitive verb

1

: to give way to pressure or influence : submit to urging, persuasion, or entreaty

2

: to give up and cease resistance or contention : submit, succumb

facing an enemy who would not yield

yielding to temptation

3

: to relinquish the floor of a legislative assembly

4

: to give way under physical force (such as bending, stretching, or breaking)

5

a

: to give place or precedence : acknowledge the superiority of someone else

b

: to be inferior

our dictionary yields to none

c

: to give way to or become succeeded by someone or something else

6

: to be fruitful or productive : bear, produce

yield

2 of 2

noun

1

: something yielded : product

especially : the amount or quantity produced or returned

yield of wheat per acre

2

: the capacity of yielding produce

Synonyms

Verb

• bow
• cave (in)
• give in
• submit
• succumb
• surrender

Noun

• earnings
• gain(s)
• income
• incoming(s)
• proceeds
• profit
• return
• revenue

Choose the Right Synonym for yield

yield, submit, capitulate, succumb, relent, defer mean to give way to someone or something that one can no longer resist.

yield may apply to any sort or degree of giving way before force, argument, persuasion, or entreaty.

yields too easily in any argument

submit suggests full surrendering after resistance or conflict to the will or control of another.

a repentant sinner vowing to submit to the will of God

capitulate stresses the fact of ending all resistance and may imply either a coming to terms (as with an adversary) or hopelessness in the face of an irresistible opposing force.

officials capitulated to the protesters' demands

succumb implies weakness and helplessness to the one that gives way or an overwhelming power to the opposing force.

a stage actor succumbing to the lure of Hollywood

relent implies a yielding through pity or mercy by one who holds the upper hand.

finally relented and let the children stay up late

defer implies a voluntary yielding or submitting out of respect or reverence for or deference and affection toward another.

I defer to your expertise in these matters

synonyms see in addition relinquish

Examples of yield in a Sentence

Verb

The apple trees yielded an abundant harvest.

This soil should yield good crops.

The seeds yield a rich oil.

New methods have yielded promising results in the field.

The studies yielded clear evidence.

The tax is expected to yield millions.

The bond yields seven percent annually.

After several hours of debate, the opposition yielded.

I yield the floor to the Senator from Maine.

I yield to the Senator.

Noun

Our yield of wheat increased this year.

The average yield per tree is about one bushel.

The yield on government bonds is currently seven percent.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Modest improvements to the weakest link usually yield more value than myopic focus on perfecting a single, siloed initiative. —James Blake, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025

On average, a year’s worth of screenings yields nine million positive results—of which 8.8 million are false. —Siddhartha Mukherjee, New Yorker, 16 June 2025

Noun

This helps explain why the precious metal—despite its lack of a yield versus other assets as well its physical storage costs—touched $3,446 an ounce, close to its April record, while the U.S. dollar index is near three-year lows. —Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 17 June 2025

In the end, that's the only yield that truly matters. —Alexander Sudeykin, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English gieldan; akin to Old High German geltan to pay

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 5

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing yield

• sustained yield

Rhymes for yield

• afield
• airfield
• annealed
• appealed
• brownfield
• coalfield
• concealed
• congealed
• cornfield
• downfield
• goldfield
• hayfield

Kids Definition

yield

1 of 2 verb

ˈyē(ə)ld 

1

: to give up possession of on claim or demand : surrender

2

: to give oneself up to a liking, temptation, or habit

3

a

: to bear as a natural product

trees that yield fruit

b

: to produce as a result of effort

this soil should yield good crops

c

: to return as profit or interest

4

: to bring good results

5

: to give up and stop fighting

will not yield to their enemy

6

: to give way to urging, persuasion, or pleading

7

: to give way under physical force so as to bend, stretch, or break

8

: to admit that someone else is better

yielder

ˈyēl-dər

noun

yield

2 of 2 noun

: something yielded : product

especially : the amount or quantity produced or returned

a high yield of wheat per acre

Legal Definition

yield

1 of 2 transitive verb

ˈyēld 

: to produce as return from an expenditure or investment : furnish as profit or interest

an account that yields 6 percent

intransitive verb

1

: to give place or precedence (as to one having a superior right or claim)

2

: to relinquish the floor of a legislative assembly

yield to the senator from Maine

yield

2 of 2 noun

1

: agricultural production especially per acre of crop

2

: the return on a financial investment usually expressed as a percentage of cost

the bond yield was 8 percent