yeah
Americanadverb
Etymology
Origin of yeah
Explanation
Yeah is a casual form of yes. When you’re hanging out with someone you really look up to and they ask you if you want to go to a party, play it cool by saying “Yeah, sure,” instead of “Yes! I’d love to!” You would almost never write “yeah” unless you were trying to mimic the sound of talking. If someone says, "Yeah, right," they’re not casually telling you you’re right. They’re ironically saying “Not likely.” And if someone interrupts you while you’re talking and says “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” it means, “I already know that—–get on with it!.”
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.
"I don't expect anything. And when presents come for me, I just hug them. And yeah, I'm really grateful," she told Bulgarian national TV after Thursday's semi-final.
From Barron's • May 17, 2026
I answered confidently and masculinely: “Hmm, yeah, interesting.”
From Slate • May 12, 2026
I’d argue that at 18 the world still sees you — As a young person, yeah.
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026
“The Chinese side said, ‘Look, yeah, we’re going to compete like heck with the U.S.,’” said Brilliant, a senior counselor to DGA Group, an advisory firm.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026
“Interesting. Then, yeah, of course, I can help you set one up. That’s easy.peasy.”
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
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.
