yell
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to cry out or speak with a strong, loud, clear sound; shout.
He always yells when he is angry.
-
to scream with pain, fright, etc.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
a cry uttered by yelling.
-
a cheer or shout of fixed words or syllables, as one adopted by a school or college to encourage a team.
verb
noun
-
a loud piercing inarticulate cry, as of pain, anger, or fear
-
a rhythmic cry of words or syllables, used in cheering in unison
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
has yelledperfect 3rd person singular
-
have yelledperfect
-
is yellingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
am yellingprogressive 1st person singular
-
have been yellingperfect progressive
-
are yellingprogressive
-
has been yellingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
yellingparticiple
-
yellssingular 3rd person
Past
-
had yelledperfect
-
had been yellingperfect progressive
-
were yellingprogressive plural
-
was yellingprogressive singular
-
yelledsimple
-
yelledparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of yell
First recorded before 1000; (for the verb) Middle English yellen, Old English gellan, giellan; cognate with German gellen to resound, Dutch gillen; akin to Old English galan “to sing” ( see nightingale); noun derivative of the verb
Explanation
To yell is to call or cry out loudly. You might yell across a loud cafeteria to get your friend's attention, or yell at your sister for borrowing your favorite sweater. Use the word yell as a verb or noun to describe the noise someone makes when they holler or shout. You can yell with enthusiasm, the way a crowd at a sporting event does, or in anger, like an irate driver yelling out the car window. A yell can express surprise, fury, or delight — but it's always loud. The Old English root is galan, "to sing."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“If I was gonna yell, I was gonna yell, and I didn’t want to do it in the office,” said Buckley, a federal contractor in Houston.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
During his first campaign, he loved to yell it out on stage at his rallies with a snarling expression, which made the crowds go wild.
From Salon • Apr. 23, 2026
There was an angry yell from one woman towards a line of waiting police.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
Ortega: If I yell in my real life, other people will go, “I know you’re upset, but it is funny.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
My mind screamed, No, no, no, but I knew it wouldn’t help to yell.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
