yawns; yawned; yawning
1
: to open your mouth wide while taking in breath usually because you are tired or bored
Students were yawning in class.
2
of an opening, hole, etc.
: to be deep, large, etc.
A deep chasm yawned [=gaped] below us.
plural yawns
1
: an act of opening your mouth wide while taking in breath : an act of yawning
I tried to stifle a yawn.
2
informal
: something that is very boring
The movie was a great big yawn. [=was very boring]
Cite this Entry
“Yawn.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/yawn. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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