yawning 1 of 2

yawning

2 of 2

verb

present participle of yawn

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 yawning
Adjective
Yet the shooting also divided the American public in ways that many found disturbing, including a yawning lack of empathy for the victim and even cheering for the shooter. Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Dec. 2024 In Palm Beach County, Ian's yawning reach spun up four tornadoes. Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 10 Jan. 2023 Wet Leg make fun of something that Harry Styles couldn’t quite capture in his cover of their song on BBC Radio 1: the yawning banality of male attention. Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2022 Dellandrea still impresses: Stars forward Ty Dellandrea picked up his third assist of the season on Tuesday, working his way to a puck and finding Wyatt Johnston for a yawning cage in the second period. Dallas News, 25 Oct. 2022 But McNamara obtained the transcripts and discovered yawning contradictions. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 9 June 2022 Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York may be at opposite ends of the ideological spectrum, but a more yawning gap between figures in the party has existed before. John Dickerson, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2022 The tunnels, some a yawning 33 feet in diameter and running up to 300 feet below city streets, stretch 109 miles and collectively hold 2.3 billion gallons of water. New York Times, 17 May 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yawning
Adjective
  • James O’Donoghue, a planetary scientist with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, likened our planet’s tilting phenomenon to a nodding head.
    Aylin Woodward, WSJ, 21 Dec. 2021
Adjective
  • That left a gaping July Fourth hole on the racing schedule, which Joliet will now fill, at least in 2026.
    Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
  • Given that there is no witness to what happened, that leaves a very gaping hole in this investigation.
    Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025
Verb
  • By the time Cali finished her drink, Ronny was snoring.
    Bryan Washington, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2025
  • While crawfish frogs might be notorious for their rap sheets full of B&Es, they are also said to have a distinct sound when calling, almost like the sound of someone snoring.
    Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Fortunately, Amazon just dropped new fall fashion items that are comfy and packable, including wide-leg jeans for travel, cardigan sweaters, and more.
    Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Developed by AeroVironment, the 20kW LOCUST Laser Weapon System (LWS) identifies, tracks, and engages a wide variety of targets with hard-kill high energy laser.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Myla Mae then explored more of her new toys, sniffing them and moving them around the house, her tail wagging the whole time.
    Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
  • There’s a narcotic detective, Roman (Regina King), who’s aggressively sniffing around after Hank catches a serious beating.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The fears of my imagination, the possibility of losing a child due to one inattentive moment, all combined to leave me gasping for breath.
    Adam Verner September 3, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Their difficult, high-flying act left the judges and live audience gasping.
    Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Howard’s best comedies have a light, almost effortless touch, but this one is panting and gasping essentially from the opening frames.
    Will Leitch, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
  • Officers responding to the scene found the dog panting heavily, with excessive drool coating the back seat.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Sneaking up and snuffing an enemy requires engaging in CQC (close quarters combat), which lets players grab a bad guy to choke, interrogate, or outright body slam.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 22 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Yawning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yawning. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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