yawn
Americanverb (used without object)
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yawns,
present (3rd person singular)
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yawned,
past participle, past
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yawning
present participle
verb (used with object)
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yawns,
present (3rd person singular)
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yawned,
past participle, past
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yawning
present participle
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to say with a yawn.
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Archaic. to open wide, or lay open, as if by yawning.
noun
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yawns
plural
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an act or instance of yawning.
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an opening; open space; chasm.
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Informal. Also something so boring as to make one yawn.
Critics say the new fashions are one big yawn.
verb
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(intr) to open the mouth wide and take in air deeply, often as in involuntary reaction to tiredness, sleepiness, or boredom
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(tr) to express or utter while yawning
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(intr) to be open wide as if threatening to engulf (someone or something)
the mine shaft yawned below
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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yawnsimple
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yawnssimple
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have yawnedperfect
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has yawnedperfect
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am yawningprogressive
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are yawningprogressive
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is yawningprogressive
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have been yawningperfect progressive
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has been yawningperfect progressive
Past
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yawnedsimple
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had yawnedperfect
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was yawningprogressive
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were yawningprogressive
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had been yawningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of yawn
First recorded before 900; Middle English verb yanen, yonen, alteration of yenen, Old English ge(o)nian; akin to Old English gānian, ginan, Old Norse gīna, German gähnen, Latin hiāre “to be wide open, gape,” Greek chaínein “to gape”; cf. hiatus, dehisce ( def. ), chasm
Explanation
The reflex that makes you open your mouth wide, inhale, and then exhale is called a yawn. Even seeing photos of other people's yawns (or reading the word yawn) can make you yawn. We yawn when we're very bored or tired, or when our bodies need an influx of oxygen. Scientists aren't completely in agreement about all the reasons why we yawn, but the "contagious yawn" happens across all human societies and even in non-human animals like chimpanzees and dogs. Things can also yawn in a figurative way, when they're open wide. Yawn comes from gionian in Old English, "open the mouth wide."
Vocabulary lists containing yawn
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.
See Examples For:
So far, the public response to all this is mostly a yawn.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
While the initial reaction in the stock market was a collective yawn, a five-year lookback shows that long-term investors have been treated very well by the company’s board of directors.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 13, 2026
A cricket war that's now just a big yawn, headlined India Today magazine.
From BBC ● Feb. 24, 2025
Some of our contagious behaviors are involuntary; for example, if someone yawns in our vicinity, we might find ourselves also trying to suppress a yawn.
From Salon ● Jan. 20, 2025
She gives me a small smile, before loosing a monstrous yawn.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
“Today’s market yawns at the risk only because Iran talks tough, but hasn’t pulled the trigger, ever,” Raj said.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 12, 2026
Rose and her person of choice then exchange yawns while drones fill the air, their vibrations sending a slight tingling sensation to my shoulders.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2025
Some of our contagious behaviors are involuntary; for example, if someone yawns in our vicinity, we might find ourselves also trying to suppress a yawn.
From Salon ● Jan. 20, 2025
This account reposts tons of cute videos—of snuggles, leaps, yawns, and naps.
From Slate ● Dec. 28, 2024
Nick takes a swig of his tea and yawns, and Leah immediately tries to launch a little paper wad into his mouth.
From "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli
The world watched dumbstruck as the historic event was broadcast live, but Wall Street yawned.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Pimblett, who yawned after sitting down, looked disinterested for the majority of the news conference before being sparked into life by Ferguson.
From BBC ● Dec. 15, 2023
The dollar-yen pair traditionally tracks the gap between the countries' long-term yields, which has yawned to 380 basis points in the dollar's favour.
From Reuters ● Sep. 29, 2023
“It was amazing,” said James, who was so emotionally drained he yawned his way through the postgame interview.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2023
He yawned in response and then watched as Esperanza covered her own mouth.
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
Before the advent of yawning, warehouse-sized big-box stores, print catalogs served as portals to the future.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
“Even if inflation does move considerably toward the target, certain fundamentals that were already underpinning longer term rates remain in place, such as record-level borrowing by the U.S. and yawning budget gaps,” he says.
From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026
Those yawning at the contest may be looking for glitz and entertainment.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026
The most yawning gap in prices is between oil that used to flow out of the Gulf and different kinds of crude from farther afield.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 25, 2026
Abby’s mom came in yawning and wearing a fluffy purple bathrobe that swept along the floor behind her.
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
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.
