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Synonyms

yap

1 American  
[yap] / yæp /

verb (used without object)

yapped, yapping

  1. to bark sharply, shrilly, or snappishly; yelp.

  2. Slang. to talk shrilly, noisily, or foolishly.

verb (used with object)

yapped, yapping

  1. to utter by yapping.

noun

  1. a sharp, shrill, or snappish bark; yelp.

  2. Slang.

    1. shrill, noisy, or foolish talk.

    2. the mouth.

      Keep your yap shut.

  3. Slang. an uncouth or stupid person; bumpkin; fool.

Yap 2 American  
[yahp, yap] / yɑp, yæp /

noun

  1. one of the Caroline Islands, in the W Pacific: part of the Federated States of Micronesia. 83 sq. mi. (215 sq. km).

yap 1 British  
/ jæp /

verb

  1. (of a dog) to bark in quick sharp bursts; yelp

  2. informal to talk at length in an annoying or stupid way; jabber

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a high-pitched or sharp bark; yelp

  2. slang annoying or stupid speech; jabber

  3. slang a derogatory word for mouth

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

interjection

  1. (usually reiterated) an imitation or representation of the sound of a dog yapping or people jabbering

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Yap 2 British  
/ jɑːp, jæp /

noun

  1. a group of four main islands in the W Pacific, in the W Caroline Islands: administratively a district of the US Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands from 1947; became self-governing in 1979 as part of the Federated States of Micronesia; important Japanese naval base in World War II. Pop: 11 647 (2006 est). Area: 101 sq km (39 sq miles)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • yapper noun
  • yappingly adverb
  • yappy adjective

Etymology

Origin of yap

1595–1605; 1900–05 yap for def. 5b; imitative

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.

At night, hungry coyotes yap and howl beyond the walls of Deborah’s ample, manicured yard.

From Salon • Apr. 10, 2025

So, when the birds don't move around or yap in open spaces, that makes things more challenging for the humans.

From Science Daily • Nov. 27, 2024

On a quiet weekday evening inside a restaurant in Brooklyn, a dog under a table announced its presence with a single pronounced yap.

From New York Times • May 16, 2024

I’ll usually be with a friend and just yap.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2024

So I put the dog in the garage, where he could yap all he wanted.

From "Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher

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.