yawn 1 of 2

Definition of yawnnext
as in bore
someone or something boring as neither candidate was willing to make an unequivocal statement about anything, the debate proved to be a complete yawn

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

yawn

2 of 2

verb

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of yawn
Noun
At later stages of development, fetuses can also move around, hiccup and yawn—an experience that any pregnant person will tell you feels weird but that also has important developmental implications. Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 5 May 2026 On early-dismissal days, the afternoon yawns with possibility. Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Verb
San Diego State led the Toreros by 24 at the break and yawned its way to an 87-54 win in the final preseason basketball exhibition for both schools. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Oct. 2025 There are yawning divisions internally about the credibility of coverage, with many in the Jewish community attacking BBC News’ output as being anti-Israeli, pointing to failings, including Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, which was revealed to have been narrated by the child of a Hamas minister. Jake Kanter, Deadline, 15 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for yawn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yawn
Noun
  • As rain drizzled and the humidity bore down, the president peered at blueprints for the public golf course, before driving to his own course in Virginia via the Arlington Memorial Bridge, near where his Triumphal Arch may soon be built.
    Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 3 July 2026
  • Breaking it down by item type, 80 percent of scarves 54 percent of tops, 25 percent of baby clothing, 13 percent of activewear and 14 percent of sleep wear bore inaccurate labels.
    Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • Being in the same room can make issues worse, with choosing what to watch on television and snoring being the biggest annoyances.
    Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 9 June 2026
  • Some specific signs to look for include loud snoring, gasping for air during sleep, or falling asleep while driving or at random times during the day, Brangman added.
    Allison Forsyth, Health, 9 June 2026
Noun
  • From ayahuasca circles and mail-order ketamine lozenges to off-label peptide injections, IV drips and longevity treatments, there’s a seemingly infinite number of ways to look and feel better that people will swear by in this town.
    Shelby Hartman, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • Choose from a banana bread latte, an espresso soda, or a single-origin drip, and then grab a bag of their small-batch roasted beans to take with you.
    Brennan Long, Southern Living, 7 July 2026
Verb
  • And that says nothing of its snort-like laughs, which reminded me too much of the huffs and puffs of the ride’s donkeys.
    Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
  • There's a laugh-until-you-snort scene in which Harry gets an alien bug inside of him.
    Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • Gauff and Muchová had the crowd gasping in the thick heat through the tiebreak, which produced some of the most electric shots of what had already been a tense match.
    Ava Wallace, New York Times, 9 July 2026
  • Several people reported that the boy seemed to be gasping for air, police said.
    Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 7 July 2026
Verb
  • Both EagleShield and All Day West will perform inspections using bedbug-sniffing dogs after treatment is complete, Guillén wrote.
    Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
  • The dogs who sniffed became measurably more optimistic and were quicker to approach new and uncertain situations.
    Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 July 2026
Verb
  • In front of them, warthogs snuffled around in the grass.
    Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2025
  • Next to arrive is her disembodied trunk, with a mind of its own, snuffling out friends and enemies and food.
    Jesse Green, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Verb
  • Double-bass glissandos hint at hands grubbing in the earth, while abrupt moments of concerted action—notably, an accordion wheezing out an F-sharp-minor chord—suggest flickering signals and transmissions.
    Alex Ross, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
  • The previous owners must have doused the property with chemicals, and as summer wheezed toward its smoky end, my lawn became less suburban ideal and more of a pop quiz in weed identification.
    Maggie Slepian, Longreads, 14 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Yawn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yawn. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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